


The odd ones

by AANerd



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Asshole Grisha Yeager, Attempt at Humor, BDSM, BDSM dynamics, Bad Puns, Blow Jobs, Body Worship, Bondage, Bottom Eren Yeager, Breathplay, Dom/Switch/Sub, Drinking, Face-Fucking, First time Switch, Fluff, Foreplay, Hand Jobs, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, Lingerie, M/M, Masturbation, Multi, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Third Person, Panic Attacks, Past Character Death, Pet Play, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Praise Kink, References to Canon, Restraints, Roleplay, Sex Toys, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Smut, Spanking, Switch Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Teasing, Teasing ™, Threesome - M/M/M, Top Erwin Smith, Videographer! Eren, You Have Been Warned, bondage performance, filming kink, first time sub, lots of teasing, past trauma, romantic BDSM, switching POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 13:49:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 107,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13032477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AANerd/pseuds/AANerd
Summary: After years of daydreaming Eren and his best friend Armin finally move away from their tiny hometown, to pursue their careers in the big city. Their first celebratory night out leads them to a mysterious night club in an alleyway, the members of which will cause as much turbulence in Eren's life, as the brunet will bring into theirs. Everything Eren knows about himself slowly starts to change as his past and future dangerously collide.





	1. Through the night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter, [GRUM - Through The Night](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/168648717888/grum-through-the-night)

A barely intelligible backdrop of murmurs gradually turned into a heavy thumping sound, as long, hesitant fingers started turning a small, plastic, ribbed knob to the right. Slowly inching it, bit by bit, the owner of the mischievous fingers kept glancing at his left, playfully examining a set of annoyed blue eyes, golden hair strands messily framing them and falling out from a loosely tied bun. The soft look they were sporting moments before was now transforming into a full scowl. "Eren! Can I somehow convince you to take that down a few notches? The entire dashboard is shaking!" The blond yelled at his brunet friend, not averting his stern look of concentration away from the road. "I can't hear my own thoughts!"  
The boy on the right laughed, green eyes running over to the narrow V shape, that his friends unusually dark eyebrows, were now holding above his eyes. The previously ill-behaved fingers automatically went to pinch at the wrinkled skin between, "You know, if you keep furrowing your eyebrows at me Armin, one day, they might just stay like that..."  
A small smile crept up at the drivers lips, as he swatted the brunets hand away, still determined to keep up his annoyed look. "So...I'm guessing the answer is no, you won't turn the music down?"

  
"Ah, let me just have this track...Yes?" Wide, green eyes, pleaded from the passenger seat, as the sound resembling a close-up thunder, filled the car threatening to shake all the screws in it loose. Eren would get completely lost in it, the combination of the aggressive beat, a deep growling bass that was woven through with a dark atmospheric melody...All mixed together to create a music piece that would make his heart beat palpably faster in his chest. His restless persona molded perfectly to it, and he spent many nights letting out frustration and anger, in barren, smoke-filled, concrete-floor night clubs, sharing this equal emotion with a crowd concealed to almost invisible in the darkness of the club.  
None of his friends shared his passion though.

"Here, I'll open the window to let a bit of the noise out," the brunet cackled at his own remark. If it was to judge by the rolling of blue eyes, he did that kind of thing way too often. "Great, not only will we die in a horrible car accident, on our first night out here, but we will look like douche bags doing it!" The pretty blond man yelled over the music. "Oh shit, sorry. I didn't mean..."  
A grin turned into a faint smile, "Ah, it's ok..." The other boy said, as chocolate hair turned away from the man driving, to carelessly hang a hand over the window seal, eyelids half open as they shielded his usually wide-open eyes, from the strong gust of air coming through the now open window.  
It was indeed their first night out here in Sina, and Eren didn't want to let any part of his past ruin this for him.  
It was Monday when they left Shiganshina, the town they spent their whole life in, the town that was becoming way too small for their stupidly adventurous aspirations. Both Armin and he had never felt right about spending their entire life stamping footprints onto the same streets, over and over again, doing the things everybody expected them to do and settling into an existence of sedating comfort.  
To them, all of human life felt like one short fleeting moment, and the world was too big, for anyone to allow themselves the luxury of staying in one place for too long, let alone forever.  
It was a no-brainer in their minds and they had spent the last year looking for a job, for Armin, that will take them anywhere out of Shiganshina. Eren had the advantage of working as a freelance videographer, his job evolving into a full time engagement from a hobby during his college years. It had never truly required of him to be tied to a single place and as long as he had his laptop and camcorder by his side, his job was where Eren was. But he could never will himself to leave from Shiganshina alone, not without Armin.

They planned it and daydreamed about it together since their kindergarten years, always talking about escaping as if it was a certain thing. So when Armin finished his studies Eren knew, it was a mere matter of time until his sharp minded, overachiever friend, finds a worthy job opportunity outside their numbingly lifeless town and he will dutifully follow him wherever it may take them.  
Which is how a freshly appointed lab assistant and his videographer best friend ended up speeding through the streets of Sina, a city settled deep in the insides of the country, on a Friday evening, excited to get a taste of the night life they would never get a chance to experience at home.

  
No overbearing sisters, no step-fathers, no running into horse-faced assholes hitting on his sister and no angry blondes starring at them from a corner.

  
Eren was happy, and his excitement started to peak as their car parked into a spot near their destination.

  
A few hours prior , they scoured the internet from their small, one bedroom apartment, which was all they could afford, located in Orvud district on the north part of the city, searching for a place that will serve as the middle ground for tonight's antics in their vastly different music tastes. Not that Armin had any specific preferences or requests other than not wanting to endure a night of music that, in his own words, sounded like _Sitting next to heavy machinery on a construction site _as he had to do many times in the past.__

  
They came upon a club called Trost, it looked pretentious and it seemed to be well-liked, which was usually Eren's cue to roll his eyes at it, and avoid the place in a wide circle for the rest of time. But the event announcement on their website said _"Electronic music night" _,__ and although Eren was sure it would be more on the commercial side, he was willing to give it a try. This was their first weekend here after all, and he planned to spend it getting drunk with his best friend, no matter the cost to his comfort. There was plenty of time for him to sniff out the more alternative clubs as he slowly got acquainted with the big city.

  
A short walk later, the blinding lights of club Trost greeted blue and green eyes, both of them comically widening at the sight of the imposing building before them. Trost was really something. A colossal rectangular construction, covered in an eggshell colored facade and four columns standing tall in front of the entrance, reminded Eren of Parthenon, the temple he had to learn about in way to many details, in his Ancient Greek art class. While the front of it had a classical style, the body of the club was covered in glass surfaces of substantial size, that were tinted and changing colors thanks to the many spotlights directed at them from the ground.

  
Taking the few steps up the stairs leading to the entrance, Eren felt his excitement diminish just slightly, as a pang of anxiety tightened his throat muscles. He realized for starters, that he was way underdressed for such an elite looking place, glad that his long circle-collared, gray coat, was mostly covering up his attire. His choice of clothing was often determined by the first items his hands landed on, so tonight's outfit was made of a simple black t-shirt and dark skinny jeans that were so close-fitting he was barely able to walk in them, but still loved them to death.

  
He side-eyed his best friend.  
Armin looked like he just stepped out of a magazine cover, make up, Photoshop and all and Eren couldn't help the puff of disappointment rolling over his lips.  
His companion for tonight was wearing white, ankle-crop jeans, discretely ripped in a few places on his thighs, a loose, silver-gray button up, falling over them as it slightly fluttered in the autumn wind. His long, iron gray sweater coat unbuttoned, soft, gray, scarf bunched around his neck, and the golden hair fixed into an effortless knot, still had nothing on the piercing blue eyes that were now shimmering with all the colors of the night club.  
_How the fuck did this dork grew up to be so beautiful _,__ Eren wondered, snickering to himself, as he almost said the words out loud. Not that he had a problem with complimenting his best friend all the time, but right now he was just a tiny bit more jealous than he was feeling fond.

  
Returning his gaze to the entrance and apprehensively walking past it, with Armin by his side, he hoped he wasn't about to enter a realm of people matching the grandiose feel of the building.  
It took only putting one foot inside, for Eren to realize that this is exactly what this was, a huge space full of people that looked like Greek deities.  
"Let's head straight for the bar..." He huffed, while shaking his head.

Chasing his second shot of rum with a beer, after clinking it with Armin's vodka and smiling widely, he returned to observing the crowd. Eren didn't have many moments of confidence, even though he was made aware of, many times, that despite his dorky appearance, or maybe even thanks to it, he was still considerably attractive. Both Armin and he, often managed to involuntarily find themselves in the center of people's attention, Eren being the gloomy-eyed brunet always wrapped in colors that accentuated his melancholic attitude and Armin with his crystal blue gaze, exuding angelic vibes with every flick of his blond hair, each of them appealing in their own specific ways.

  
Tonight, they were definitely on Armin's turf as the amount of glances the blond was pulling in had become absurd, after just a half an hour of sitting at the bar. Eren chuckled, "I will need to keep an eye on you, otherwise you might get kidnapped..."  
Armin giggled, raising an eyebrow towards the dancing crowd in front of them "I uh...wouldn't really mind if one of these girls were to abduct me...These people and this place almost look unreal."  
"Yeah..." Eren puffed out, nodding. "I guess I'll have to make sure then, to politely try and take over the guys for you, should any of them decide to mistakenly come your way, which I'm sure will happen at any moment."  
_Not that any of them would be interested in this though..._ Eren thought, his gaze running over his own appearance before it flew over to the flawless people in question. _  
_Yep. No way.__

"Thanks for agreeing to come here, I know you are not really pleased to be in a place like this", Armin's voice coaxed him out of his own thoughts.  
"Hey, as long as we can get drunk, dance and make others jealous of our out-of-this-world presence, I don't care where we are." Eren said mockingly faking confidence.  
With that, cyan eyes gave a knowing look to the sparkling green, before both men got up from their chairs and flung themselves straight towards the dance-floor.

Many shots of rum and vodka later, feet aching and sore, the two man exited from the building, burying themselves into their own clothing in an effort to protect their sweaty faces from the wind. Stumbling down the small flight of alabaster stairs, their shoulders kept bumping into each other as the alcohol skewed their sense of direction. Loud laughter followed every thud, until one was cut short by Armin's voice: "Uh...we kind of have a small problem."  
Eren, a smile still hanging onto his face, lifted up his head: "What's wrong?"  
"Well, you know how we are not in Shiganshina anymore?"  
Armin said. The brunet burst into loud laughter again "Um, yeah, I suspiciously began to notice that in the past few days."  
Furrowed eyebrows once again returned to Armin's now tired expression "Yeah, well that means we can't just nonchalantly walk our drunk asses home and pick up the car tomorrow."  
"Oh shit...You're right." Eren's eyes mimicked the blonds serious gaze way to dramatically.  
"We are actually really far from our apartment you know, and neither of us is in a condition to even open the car door, let alone drive it." The blond continued to explain, hoping Eren would catch up on the real issue.  
There was a moment of silence.  
"How will we ever solve this? If only there was a service that would send a person here to drive us home..." The brunet said, staring blankly into the distance, before returning to his previous laughing fit.  
"That's not what I..." Armin pinched Eren's cheek while grabbing him by the arm with his other hand. "Let's walk it off a little, before we call a cab, and hope our car is still here tomorrow."

The short walk turned into a half an hour stroll through the main street of Sina, as the two soaked up the city lights, the crowds of people still roaming around at 1:30 a.m., the smell of their many colognes, food and car fumes mixing together, the busy atmosphere reminding the boys that they were indeed not in Shiganshina anymore. Many smaller alleyways were cutting through the main street, and at one particular corner Eren stopped in his tracks causing Armin to fling back as he was still attached to his arm.  
"Do you hear that?" Eren said, his eyes opening wide like headlights. Armin chuckled at his friend, who looked like a puppy whose owner just called him by its name. "Um, I hear some sort of noise...Oh no." Armin laughed bowing his head to pinch at his eyebrows.  
"Oh yes," and the brunet started moving, pulling his pretty companion to the right, towards the source of the noise. They made a few steps into the alleyway and Eren was able to make out a door, with a faint, violet, neon, sign saying "Titan" on one of the walls on the left. The sound was definitely coming from there, and it made the brunets heart skip as a familiar feeling of adrenaline pleasantly spilled through his nervous system. He pulled out his phone, almost dropping it in the haste as he typed the name of the club into the search bar. The result made his stare grow even further as he gulped, eyes shifting to the blond standing next to him "Um..This is some sort of fetish night club...?"  
They stared at each other for a moment, before Armin grabbed his jade-eyed ball of restlessness, "Well, that's our cue to get the hell out of here..." He said as he pulled him forward, not getting even a few steps ahead, as the brunets feet stayed in place.  
The blond took a deep sigh in and out, "Eren...I love you, and you know I would follow you anywhere, but...does that _anywhere _really needs to be a weird fetish club right now?"__

Eren looked at him, expression of mischief clearly evident in the quirk of his eyebrows "Come on, we'll just peak in...I swear we will be in and out by the time one track ends."

Armin sighed even louder this time, dragging it out to emphasize his annoyance. It was obvious Eren's brain cells were still happily splashing around, in a pool created by alcohol, because even though he was not a stranger to his friend making decisions like this on a whim, this seemed like a situation in which both of them would be quickly in way over their heads.  
"One goddamn song Eren...One... Do you hear me?"  
But the brunet was already at the middle of the alleyway, in front of the club doors, hand slowly grabbing at the handle.

A dark, faintly lit hallway greeted the two boys as Armin clutched firmly at Eren's arm.  
"Can you please just slow down for a second," he hissed but the messy haired brunet just continued moving forward. The hallway was turning slightly to the left and at the end of it there was a door, two men planted on each side of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> If you have a little time I would love to hear some feedback about how I'm doing so far?  
> You can leave kudos if you liked it (it's like giving me a pat on the back ❁) Hope you continue to enjoy the fic ^^


	2. Bear Trap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Ultrablack - Bear Trap (Excision Remix)](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/168827513343/ultrablack-bear-trap-excision-remix)  
> Trigger warning for that bass, it might just shatter your computer screen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: The formatting somehow ate up a small part of Erwin/Eren dialogue, which explains the rules of the club. I only just noticed and added it back in. Sorry I was very tired when I posted this ^^  
> A

Eren had abruptly stopped his relentless advancing, making the friend he was mercilessly dragging through the hallway up until now, bump into him from the back.. After a few small curses and an apology they both stilled, to stare at the curious scene in front of them.  
One impressively tall man was standing on the right side of the door, while the other one, not so much blessed lengthwise, was carelessly leaning on the wall on the left.  
Both of the guards were wearing, what Eren thought to be very intricate face masks, black, triangular plastic going over their noses and all the way down, wrapping around to cover their necks. _How the hell do they breath in those things? ___  
Two small circular meshes on each side of their face covers were the answer to the brunets question, and he immediately imagined them speaking in a Darth Vader voice, successfully managing to make himself snort, as the titter lightly shook his shoulders.  
Armin looked at him in dismay. He did not share his amusement, as he observed the masked men, dressed in knee-length, dark blue, heavy looking coats with golden buttons going all the way down, the entire view looking nothing short of ominous.  
Both of the boys lifted their heads further, looking to meet the menacing stares of the two bouncers, but instead of the threatening glares they expected to see, their eyes locked with blue and silver ones, the crinkled skin forming around them, making Eren squint his eyes... _Are they..smiling? ___  
"How can we help you, gentlemen?" The brunet didn't get a chance to figure it out as the serious tone coming from the tall man, threw him off . He felt the light shake to his boat of confidence, in which he was recklessly floating in up until now.  
"Uh..um..we heard the music from outside... we really liked...uh.."  
_Well that was an A in communication... _Eren reprimanded himself as his words came out way too quickly. "And we wanted to check out the place, sir...uh...the place, it was coming from..." He continued his descent.__

There it was again, just the tinniest wrinkling of both of their foreheads.  


Eren tried to straighten up, both physically and mentally as he cleared his throat. He hated sounding like a confused child but the sudden intensity radiating from the two men was pushing down on his courage.  


"Is there an entrance fee?" He asked trying to force a more confident tone.  


"Can we see some I.D.'s first?" The man on the left spoke up in the same humorless manner.  
Disheveled brown and golden hair nodded almost in unison as they handed over their cards.  
"Ok..." The silver-eyed man continued dryly, "If you came here to disturb our guests and have a laugh at the people bent over the spanking bench , then I can save you some time and tell you there is none of that going on in the club tonight."  
Eren stared blankly at him...It didn't even cross his mind that people might be doing something that explicit inside of a nightclub. But this was no ordinary bar was it? His own mind reminded him quickly, where exactly he just barged in so bravely a few moments ago.  


"That's not...we don't mean to bother anyone. I just wanted to listen to some nice music..." He said a tiny hint of annoyance peeking through his voice. He understood where the assumption was coming from, considering they both probably looked and acted very out of place, but still, he didn't quite appreciate the demeaning effect of the shorter mans harsh attitude.

"Hmph, I see...". The blond man puffed out before cracking a half-smile, making it seem like he read and understood some secret, unsaid, meaning behind the brunets words.  
"You're lucky you came here on a Friday, which means it's Open night at Titan and we welcome all the curious people, like yourselves, that wish to take a peek into this world but don't have a membership card...yet." His voice sounded a tad milder than before. "So, although naughty behavior is something we encourage on other nights, the Open night has a strict _No explicit action rule _. So, as long as you didn't mean trouble, we might've just let you in, however..."__

"However..." The man on the left piped up again and Eren shot him an annoyed look as he raised his eyebrows. "There is a dress code and it involves fetish-wear and face masks. An although you can buy the masks inside the club, I doubt that you have a latex bodysuit hidden underneath those clothes... So I'm afraid we can't let you in."  
"Great! I mean uh...Thanks, in any case!" Armin said quickly, as he pulled for the millionth time that night on Eren's arm dragging him away. He felt almost victorious as they took a few steps in the direction of the exit, when Eren wiggled his hand out and turned back, stepping up with a mischievous glint in his eyes towards the bouncers. 

He fumbled with his coat zipper, as he spoke with the most matter-of-factly-voice he could muster up in that moment, "I know my lack of appropriate outfit disturbs you..." A barely audible cackle came from the left "...But I think this shirt might just work out as fitting attire for tonight."

Oh my god..." Armin instantaneously planted his hand over his face, as he watched through his fingers, how Eren's coat slid from his shoulders, slipping all the way down his arms until it reached past his wrists, as he caught it in the palm of his left hand. A black shirt that said _I solemnly swear I am up to no good _, in thin golden lettering was revealed from under it, as Eren's right fist flew up to cover up the No part of the quote. It took everything he had to uphold his poker face for even just a few moments, before the suppressed laughter started spilling over his lips.__  
The two men guarding the door were staring at him for a while, before turning to each other, confusion steadily melting into amusement.  
"Erwin..." The shorter man spoke, as he gestured to Eren with his head "This brat thinks his shirt is appropriate, to wear for tonight..." He said as if he was sure the other man would share his conceited attitude.  
"I see..." The blond on the right squinted his eyes, not attempting to conceal his laughter anymore, as it echoed loudly through the long hallway, "I suppose it might just be appropriate." 

____

"What?!" 

Three pair of eyes widened, voicing their confusion at the same time, both staring at the blond man, who was just standing there, grinning back at the them. 

Eren's only intent was to get in one last stupid joke and possibly annoy the two guards a little , the short obnoxious one especially, before he left the place, never thinking his silly outburst would actually grant them an entrance to the club. 

"Well go on then, before I change my mind," the man's hand moved towards the doorknob, flinging the wooden thing open.  
Eren grabbed his friends arm, whose face was completely crimson with second-hand embarrassment, and he was just about to fly them through the door when a strong arm materialized in front of brunets face, abruptly stopping his progression. "Just promise you'll behave in there," the same man spoke again, "You can also come find us if anyone happens to give you any trouble."  
Eren stared at the mild blue eyes as he listened, being surprised by the man's ever softening demeanor, before ducking under the stretched out arm and continuing to stumble inside. The door behind them closed and he grinned widely as he whispered, loud enough for his blond friend to catch it "Well, mischief managed..."  
"Just..shut your cursed mouth", Armin hissed back clenching his friends upper arm for dear life. 

"Did you really just let those two idiots in?" The man on the left whined.  
"Why? Does this scenario remind you of something...Levi? Hits too close to home?" Erwin offered a calm, adept response to a question he already knew was coming. 

"Tch. I give them 10 minutes before they come running out." The raven-haired man mumbled crossing his arms, demeanor reminiscent of an offended child. 

"I place my bets on 20," the handsome blond responded nudging the others upper arm, as he typed something on his phone, before putting it back into his pocket. 

"Also", the man continued in the same casual voice, " I hope you are ready to get your pretty ass turned all shades of red and blue tonight, for revealing my name to complete strangers like that." 

The man on the left stiffened, in more ways than one, and the gulp that came with it couldn't be muffled even by the plastic of the mask covering his mouth. 

On the other side of the door, two clumsy youngsters were slowly making their way towards a desk, that seemed to be settled into the indentation in the right wall at the end of the hallway.  
Venetian style eye covers, moss colored metallic gas-mask-like head pieces and plastic triangle shaped mouth to neck covers, were all scattered around on it, in a semi-neatly fashion. Eren noted the last ones looked exactly the same as the ones the guards were sporting outside. His eyes went to roam further across the display, but he was interrupted by the strawberry blonde behind the desk, giggling as she put her phone down. Eren looked at her with slight confusion. She was a monumental contrast to what he imagined the people inside the club would look like, but then again, he couldn't say he even had the vaguest idea about the world of BDSM and the people in it. He immediately felt foolish for creating an image about them in his head, that was only based on his very limited knowledge acquired from mainstream sources. 

Eren followed her movements as her hand left the device and took aim towards the far left end of the table, retrieving what looked like rosy-brown colored surgical masks. She grabbed two pairs by the strands and stretched her arm towards the two men. "Here, it's on the house."  
"Is that bear snout? Thanks..." Eren regarded her with a questioning look, inspecting the print on the material as he nudged his friend to take one from his hand. A white, simplistic design of a bears lower face, was etched over the fabric and he heard Armin huff softly at the sight.  
The girl shrugged her shoulders, mouth molding into a sly smile "You should tell your friend it's not obligatory to look down at the floor at all times."  
Armin's face had barely started resembling a natural skin color, before he was flushing once again, his stare not daring to budge from their spot on the ground.  
Eren pulled him by his coat sleeve and turned towards, what was hopefully the final door before they actually entered the damn club. "Are you ok golden locks?" The brunette regarded his friend with a slight worry, before they would irrevocably open and walk through the door.  
"You owe me for this one," the blond offered, shaking his head with a smile, before straightening up and pulling the mask over his face "Let's go!"  
"It looks really cute on you..." Eren teased while doing the same, as they both walked into the cloud made up of smoke and noise. 

Eyes adjusting to the darkness, Eren walked through the crowd, holding soft hands in a firm grip.  
He quickly realized the importance of the dress code as he noticed they were the only ones dressed in everyday human clothing. If he felt like he stood out to much in Trost, the two men felt like glow sticks walking into a lightless room in Titan. By the time they reached the bar though, Eren's mind was put at ease, as he noted everyone seemed to be minding their own business in here. Other than a few polite smiles and brief glances, nobody paid much attention to the two boys apprehensively making their way across the dance floor.  
Propping their elbows on the counter Eren's eyes travelled to the tall blond bartender sipping on what seemed to be a glass of water with a straw. A very intense looking rubber mask was probably the reason why, as it covered the entire lower half of his not-so-amused expression with sharp teeth lining up above and below his mouth, and two long fangs poking out in each side.  
_Was it handsome blondes night tonight in Sina? _Eren wondered, thoughts cut short by his own hand immediately slapping over his mouth, as he realized the words rolled out loud and clear, from his lips, right into the ear of the bartender who leaned in, prompted most likely by seeing the brunets mouth moving, thinking he was stating his order.__  
The nose under the canine mask twitched just the slightest and a deep, loud laughter followed it. "Can I offer you teddy bears a refreshing beverage?" The bartender pointed a finger above his head, revealing a fancy but discreet black led display, thin white letters listing all the available drinks the bar offered. Eren rolled his eyes at the nickname, remembering the tacky mask he was wearing. "We don't serve alcohol on Open Nights, so if that's what you are after..." The dog-man mistakenly reacted again, this time, to Eren's annoyed expression, as the boy was now staring at the menu.  
"Oh no, that's not why....Never mind...I'll have a Lime  & Lemon Grass Spritzer?" The brunet was too lazy to bother with explaining, to yet another person this night, that he didn't come here to be a douche bag. "What about you Armin?" He nudged the other handsome blond in his vicinity. "I'll have a Cherry Sparkle, please."  
A slight glint and a nod later the bartender began turning his back, but stopped half-way, looking like he remembered something, "Try not to use first names in here kids, at least not for now."  
He went on to fixing their drinks and the two youngsters nodded, before mimicking his movements, their backs now leaning against the counter.  
Eren couldn't help but think how this was not so much different from any of the night clubs he used to frequent back home. Counting out, of course the noticeably kinky outfits the many people of the club where wearing. _Actually wasn't that just kind of a plus? _Eren laughed to himself as he took in the atmosphere. The club was completely swallowed by darkness except for a single violet beam of light, coming from the stage on the left of the bar. It circled around the room slowly letting the curious green eyes, explore the room bit by bit. Eren noticed the dj pult up on the stage, first. It was a simple, black, box-like structure with glossy equipment on it and wires hanging in all directions. Through the high contrast smoke, visible only in the area of the violet light, he was able to make out a female figure. Intense eyes were concentrating on de-attaching a wire with one hand, and Eren observed with amusement as the woman brought up a freshly opened chocolate bar to her mouth with the other, taking a strand of maroon hair with it and grimacing as it touched her lips.  
He chuckled to himself silently, as the faint violet glow forced his gaze right onto the moving crowd in the center of the room. It was one of the most appealing group of human beings Eren had ever encountered in his, admittedly not so short clubbing career. All kinds of elastic covered bodies, the majority of them tinted in dark colors, were synching up to music, feet stomping to the beat, while hips and arms bent and swayed languidly to the melody of piano chords. Eren felt himself mesmerized as his heel helplessly started tapping on the hard floor once again, his heart responding to every thump of the bass. His eyes religiously followed the light as he caught better and more clear glimpses of the various dancers, each of them looking more fascinating than the other. __

_____ _

_____________________________Ok these people are definitely a plus and way more interesting than the ones in Trost. _He felt like he was being pulled by the chest, invisible hands of sound waves and smoke coaxing him to the podium.__  
He sighed as he sipped on his drink, _not tonight _, not while it meant leaving Armin to sit by the bar alone, as Eren had a hunch the blond would not happily brave the dance floor with him this time. He stopped to linger on a single thought that had just occurred in his mind. Was he already planning to come back here?__  
"I'm ready to leave when you are..." Dragged out words spoken through a yawn, cut of his train of thoughts.  
He smiled fondly at the tired blue eyes looking at him, "Sure..Let's go." They already stayed here more than Eren promised anyway. The brunet pulled out some money, and handed it to the bartender, but his arm was politely pushed back. "It's on the tall man you met outside..."  
"Oh..." Eren was thankful for the darkness concealing his tinted cheeks. He left the money as a tip anyway and the two boys pushed themselves off of the counter waving at the dog-man, as they walked off.  
Half-way through turning his head back, he felt a shoulder bump quite heavily into his own and looking up had Eren do a double take. A woman with platinum hair cut into an asimetric bob, was wearing a tight skin colored bodysuit, every rib so clearly distinguishable through the fabric, Eren thought for a second she was naked. Her mask gave Eren an eerie vibe, a huge line of teeth stretching past her face on both the top and bottom, forming into one of the most disturbing smiles, he wouldn't mind not seeing again.  
The way she stopped to glare at him for a few long moments before hesitantly continuing forward, was not helping her look any less scary.  
Eren lingered, watching the woman slowly move away, before once again green eyes locked with empty light blue and he realized, she too turned around to stare back. Her gaze was filled with... _Surprise? Animositiy? _Eren couldn't quite tell as he was gently pulled by the bicep, the boys now stepping out of the club a bit taken aback by the strange encounter.__  
"Was it that terrible?" A familiar voice had jumped them slightly, two handsome man now standing where the cute strawberry blonde was before. The bouncers still had their masks on, but they were pulled bellow their mouths, revealing more of their beautiful faces. Eren found himself wishing he didn't have to leave so soon.  
"Half an hour, I must say I am impressed," the shorter man continued to speak, raising his eyebrows while nodding.  
"It was not bad at all actually," Eren defended, "We just...already had way to much fun for one night..." He said as he thought that to be the shortest explanation.  
"Do you need us to call you a cab?" The taller, more friendly male inquired, and with more of his face now visible, Eren stared wordlessly at his turquoise eyes paired with a pristinely styled haircut and deliciously pursed lower lip.  
"Actually, would you mind?" Armin spoke up seeing Eren's dumbfounded gaze, realizing he didn't plan to use his words any time soon.  
"Not at all" The tall man smiled warmly as he grabbed his phone from his pocket.  
"I must say, the masks you got...They suit you well", the dark haired man teased as Eren's eyes shifted to the where he was standing. He furrowed his eyebrows at him. The man was as equally good looking as he was annoying and Eren felt the need to punch that self-satisfied look off from his face. _Or would I rather....? Ok, I really need to go to sleep... ___  
"You're really acting mean tonight you know that?" Erwin shoot a reprimanding look at the snarky raven, before turning to the teddy bear masks in question, "The cab will be here in a few minutes."  
"Thanks for the uh...drinks!" Eren mumbled.  
"No worries, it was a small _I'm sorry we gave you trouble at the door, we promise we are not assholes _gesture." The man's heartfelt smile was so contagious, the brunet found himself stupidly smiling back at him.  
Armin hugged Eren around the shoulders and with a sincere nod and a _Thanks _, dragged the two of them out the door and into the much needed cooling air of Sina's quietly approaching dusk.____

_____ _

"You're such a terribly obvious flirt..." Levi chuckled with palms placed over his stomach.  
"No, I'm just being a good host..." Blue eyes disappeared under a wink, as both of their laughters now mixed together.  
"Right...I wonder who told Petra to give them the stupidly cute bear masks...?" 

_____ _

With street lights blurring into a mess of colors through the car window, Eren couldn't scour off the smile plastered onto his face, thinking about the thrill of such an unexpected night and the possibility of many more, as blond ruffled hair leaned on his shoulder half asleep.  
A tall blonde and his dark haired boyfriend couldn't get the image of certain bright, olive colored eyes out of their heads as mewls and whines spilled across their bed sheets. Neither of them would admit to this little detail that night, though... 

_____ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> If you have a little time I would love to hear some feedback about how I'm doing so far?  
> You can leave kudos if you liked it (it's like giving me a pat on the back ❁) Hope you continue to enjoy the fic ^^


	3. Play cats and mouse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Ogris Debris - Miezekatze](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/169108228663/ogris-debris-miezekatze-original-mix)  
> TW: (Very brief) mention of a panic attack  
> W: I am turning the kink up a notch

The aggressive racket of fingers hitting plastic, mixed uncomfortably with the silky vocals and lethargic beats coming from the laptop speaker, as their sounds filled the room up halfway. The other half was filled with the muffled hum of a refrigerator, the never ceasing traffic from outside, and a slight flutter of curtains, meeting a gust of wind coming through an open window.

A long _h_ sound escaped from tense lips and overpowered them all, as the brunet stared at his laptop, ready to break the glass using only the sharpness of his gaze.

 _Can this red be less red?_ He repeated the sentence mockingly in his head, his annoyance spiking up to levels high enough to steep a bag of  tea in it.

He pulled his laptop in a little, and started typing an answer:"No problem! Would you care to send me an example of a "less red" color so I can match it to the shirt in the video?"

The enraged tapping slowly evolved into Eren's soft finger pads slamming onto the letters with the force of four angry elephants, _Maybe next time try to wear a less repulsively red t-shirt, while filming you BUSINESS commercial you absolute dickwad_ , he wanted to type but the words "repulsive" and "dickwad" really didn't fit into the action plan of growing his business.

Playing with colors was a normal part of his job and as a seasoned videographer and editor, it was usually no cause for annoyance. This particular client however, had been jumping on Eren's already thin nerves for two weeks now, sending the video back 7 times already, always wanting  _just one extra change_ and one more _tiny tweak_. Sure, he was paid for every minute he worked but sometimes he wondered if all the money he made would be enough to pay the price for getting his sanity back.

 

Occurrences like this made him turn his attention to stock videography. It would enable him to just film anything he thought would have commercial value, upload it to the appropriate website and wait for someone to buy it. No clients, no negotiations, no ludacris requests. It sounded like a perfect deal and Eren had been wanting to take a stroll through the streets of Sina for a long time now, to capture all the tiny goldish-yellow details, that the now fully present autumn had left around the city. However, his laptop seemed to form roots around his arms and had no plans of setting him free anytime soon.

Also, he was aware of the fact that filming what every other person with a good phone could film by just walking around the block, was not going to be enough to make a successful first step into the market.

_If only I could add some human interaction under the falling leaves..._

His mind wandered off to the very few people he managed to meet recently. Mild spring-sky blue and razor-sharp silver would certainly make a captivating addition to the frames he had in mind. But...He couldn't _actually_ say he even met them properly at all, definitely not close enough to just outright ask them to pose for him, but maybe...maybe he should make an effort to change that? 

Days after their eventful night out, he was almost certain that he wanted to go back to the club, with our without Armin.

It was somewhere around Wednesday when the implications of his wish to repeat the aforementioned night started to sink in again. 

"Am I...into _that?_ "  He chuckled at his internal struggle of not being able to even mouth out the word as he now leaned one faintly red cheek on his right fist.

A simply phrased question carrying a lot of weight in meaning, was overtaking his thoughts lately, and he would occasionally let the acronym roll down his lips in a barely audible whisper.

The thing that had taken him aback the most, was not that he was potentially into something that he could only describe as...an unusual way to receive pleasure. No, it was the fact of just how much he couldn't find anything about it that was off-putting. Every result that his Private Window search yielded was just making him more enticed to the idea of meddling into this world.

To all things in life, Eren approached open-minded and wide-eyed, but this felt less than just simple curiosity and more like a discovery of a hidden door that he always kept passing by, leaving it unnoticed...until now.

Although his imagination was no stranger to conjuring up scenarios that were dancing on the edge of unconventional, they were only meant to exist inside his vivid fantasy on a lonely night, never to be acted out in reality...right?

He thought back to the people dancing at the club, as he closed his eyes and mentally placed himself among them. He imagined his own skin hugged by the tight, glazy fabric as he moved languidly to the music. A deep sigh forced itself out, as the image of hands roaming all over his body suddenly started to form on the back of his eyelids, the faces of people undistinguishable through the dark smokiness of the club.

His own face was flushed scarlet from the heat of their movements, and he scrunched his eyebrows, concentrating on soaking up the sensations, shivering, as he threw his head back on a strangers shoulder. A fairly familiar and very curious hand found its way between his legs, tracing the shape of his eagerly forming erection with a single finger, ever so slightly, through the squeaky material of his pants.

_Mmphm..._

Another, cruder hand grabbed him by the front tuft of his hair and pulled his head forward and down, a third hand pressing on the lower portion of his spine, making him arch his back. 

"Put the mask on for us, baby" a voice commanded and Eren nodded, letting a hand that emerged from the darkness  place the peculiar bear snout over his panting mouth, the fabric instantly dampening from the heat of his breath, as his mouth watered in anticipation.

_Mmphmm...ah.._

"Such a good cub for us..." The intonation in which the words were spoken reminded Eren of a gentle voice he heard before.

_Hah..ah.._

"How about we show you..."

"Hey Eren....!"

A voice yelled from the hallway as their apartment's front door shut close. There was a shuffle of shoes and something that sounded like _cardboard?_

"Are you in here? Can you help me fit this stupid box through the doorframe?" Armin yelled again, the voice now resonating dangerously close and sounding much louder. The small place they rented meant Eren's room was also their living room, that was directly melting into the kitchen on its right.. Leaning on the left of said kitchen was the hallway through which an oblivious blond was trying to currently pass through, vainly shoving a bulky cardboard box over the doorstep.

 _Fuck,  fuck,  fuck..._ Eren fumbled with his pants, pulling the hem up uncomfortably over his fully vertical cock, grimacing over the feeling of the cold dampness pressing upon the skin of his belly. _"_ Hi!" He yelled back in slight panic "Yeah...um...I'm here, I...uh, I'm coming!"

He stopped.

 _That was the plan at least_...he thought giggling into his chin as he got up to help out his friend.

* * * * * * *

 

"Hey buddy, how is life treating you?"

Eren smiled excitedly at the voice of his stepfather, immediately sliding the laptop over the glass surface of the coffee table, enough so Armin was able to easily participate in the conversation, too.

"Good evening Hannes!" The blond smiled with all teeth.

Ever since Eren's parents died in a car accident, Hannes, his mother's friend, had relentlessly dotted over  him and his sister Mikasa, both of them being barely ten years old at the time. He eventually officially adopted the two youngsters, managing to return at least a partial amount of the feeling of security, that came with having a family.

Eren was hurting for a long time though, spending the first few weeks after his parents passing in the hospital, under constant surveillance of doctors and his concerned sister, as the stress he suffered reflected on his body as much as on his mind. Every attempt to face reality ended up with a feeling of pressure in his head rising up, until he couldn't breathe in properly and the intense nausea rendering him immobile. His severe reactions were not only prompted by losing the two people he was supposed to depend on and look for guidance for many more years, but he also had a hard time coming to terms with the mysterious circumstances and alarming lack of information surrounding the event of their death.

It was only the fatherly affection that Eren frankly wasn't used to even while his own father was alive, and the constant distraction his sister and his best friend had provided, that helped him make a change towards getting better, for the sake of the people he still had around, instead of pushing them away in favor of mourning over the ones he lost.

Eren had felt endless gratefulness towards all of them and although shooing away the fog and the rainclouds that he carried with himself was an everyday effort, it was worth it for all of the joyous moments he had with his family ever since.

 

"Oh!" The brunet clasped his palms excitedly "It treats us great! More than great! Sina is so awesome!" 

"I am very happy to hear that boy," Hannes voice sounded a bit muffled, coming out of the small laptop speaker."Have you managed to go anywhere? Meet any big city folks? " The older man asked, the pixelated screen doing a good job of hiding his barely noticeable, apprehensive smile.

"I hang around my boss a lot, as we work 10 hour shifts in the lab, if that counts." The blond shrugged."Oh...We actually met a few people when we went out last Friday," he suddenly remembered, laughing as his tall friend sent an elbow to his upper arm.

Eren missed it, but Hannes's expression contorted into a one of further wariness, before quickly resuming the affectionate gaze he held before.

"I have no doubts about that, you two always have to be the stars of the show..." The gray haired man laughed.

The conversation went on for a little while, before the boys excused themselves, as it was Friday night and they had no intention of staying home this weekend either.

 

Saying their goodbyes and forwarding their greetings to everyone, Eren clicked the button to hang up the call and closed his laptop.

"Okay where were we...?" He mischievously smirked at his friend.

"I believe we were just about to take a shot of...this!" The blue-eyed boy gleamed with an almost scary expression as he exclaimed, pulling a bottle of tequila and two small glasses from behind his back.

 

One warming shot strong each, they were ready to brave the windy autumn evening before entering club Trost, as their first source of entertainment for tonight, at least for Eren. If one were to ask him, he would say he really couldn't care less about being here. What he did always care about though was Armin, and he was in dire need to have some fun. The hectic research work had robbed Eren from precious time with his studious blond and he didn't want to miss out on his company and just follow his...hardly innocent thoughts directly to club Titan.

 

As 1 a.m. approached however,  Eren grew restless, as the idea of leaving this place of obnoxious light and exchanging it for the more comfortable, dimmed down hues, occupied his mind.

Armin had a box full of books to go through in the morning and Eren had a need for exploring the other side of the door that recently opened in the back his head, so soon enough, he hugged his friend goodbye as they parted ways, closing the taxi door carefully, before he himself got into another vehicle behind it.

 

A familiar purple sign flickered at him, as he stepped through the door, expecting to be greeted with two, likewise familiar faces.

Instead, a pair of even more absurdly tall strangers stood guarding the door this time. The one on the left was noticeably more muscular, with shoulders as wide as the door itself. He wore an all over face mask, that had exaggerated face muscles sculpted onto it, paired with green glowing eyes, looking very much like a suitable villain for any superhero movie. The other man was nothing less than an oak tree, probably a brunet judging by the small tuft of hair poking at his forehead. He was thinner, but still looked lean and his face mask had a bony cage-like structure to it, all with the creepy line of teeth going past his mouth. This was not a smiling one, though.

 

"Can I see your I.D.?" The one with the villain mask grumbled and the brunet complied, feeling a bit disappointed to not be greeted by the same bouncers from before.

"Eren huh...I was made aware you might be stopping by tonight," the muscle-face chuckled, handing back the card to the boy. Before Eren could express his confusion, the man continued, "I see you managed to set up appropriate attire this time," his eyes running over the brunets tight legs, covered in shiny rubber leggings. They were dark maroon and they harmonized beautifully with the olive illuminance in his eyes. At least Eren, thought so.

"How did you..who told you...?" Eren found himself stumbling on his words, in front of the same door, yet again. Only it was to different people this time. _Great way to add to the crowd of humans that think you're a mess,_ the brunet mentally patted his own back. _At least I'm sober this time..._

"I'll let you find out everything for yourself, once you're inside," the shorter man said, still being the only one speaking.

Eren stepped through the door, a little annoyed at the situation, or himself, he wasn't sure. He just waved at the wide eyed blond behind the desk barely regarding her with a glance, as he pulled his mask on, which, despite looking incredibly immature, was irritatingly growing on him. His chest tightened as he gotten himself ready for whatever this night was about to throw at him.

 

 _Huh..._ He wasn't ready. He definitely wasn't ready for the sight that greeted him.

This place was out to kill him.

Impersonating his own wax figure as he stood motionless, directly in front of the door he just stepped through,  his eyes blinked quickly a few times as he took in the view of a soft, strawberry-ice cream colored ass, covered in latex, with a feathery, silver tail poking out the middle of it, shimmering with the darker hues of the violet lighting.  

Feeling a slight push, as someone attempted to walk through the club entrance, Eren remembered to move, as he took aim towards the left wall, settling into a chair at one of the free tables hidden in the shadows.

He had to put a palm on the tabletop to brace himself, in order to be able to continue exploring the view. Going up further the man's small but muscular back, he noticed he was covered in the pink, mouth-watering body suit from neck to toe, together with large platform shoes. His eyes landed on a collar, and he swallowed audibly, Adams apple making an exaggerated jump over the length of his throat. The shade matched the suit, and light metal spikes circled around it, stopping at the belt buckle that tied the whole thing together.

All of that was a pleasant contrast to the effortlessly styled undercut, that was pitch black, melting into the darkness of the club.

The collar was attached to a thin, black, satin string, meeting at the other side with wide, gentle palms, perfectly manicured fingers holding it casually. This arm continued to reveal a man in a full, light gray suit, deep blue tie matching in perfectness only to the cerulean eyes above them.  Both males were only wearing plain white surgical masks and Eren immediately recognized them as the two bouncers from the last time he was here. His mind wouldn't let him linger on their faces for too long though, as his eyes were involuntarily flicking back to the most impeccable ass he had ever had a pleasure to rest his hungry gaze on. _Huuuh, fuck..._

His arrival didn't go unnoticed as a tall glass of clear liquid, decorated with green minty leaves found its way onto his table.The canine-masked bartender just winked, as he set the drink down and quickly turned back to resume his place behind the bar.

Eren noticed the club was even more crowded than last week and there were also people that definitely looked like it was their first time here.

It made the brunet a little less self-conscious, while his eyes absentmindedly roamed up and down the same area of the room in hopes of meeting a two pair of others. Finally they locked with silver gray and the man stopped, before nodding with quite the indifference. Eren felt a pang of hurt burning a small fire from his lower belly to his face, but the sour emotion soon faded a bit, as the red carpet version of Captain America smiled at him with fondness, acknowledging his presence politely.

None of the men showed any signs of desire to proceed with the communication though, so Eren settled for sipping on his drink in the corner, while awkwardly fumbling with his phone.

Butt checks wiggling ever so slightly, each time the raven shifted on his legs, made Eren constantly glance up, as the tail shimming in and out with every movement, left him wondering if it was just a part sewn to the costume or was it a toy delicately lodged between those porn star ass cheeks. The barely noticeable twitching of thighs and the way thin lips pressed together to form a single line over the man's face told him it was most likely the latter.

 _God,_ Eren thought closing his eyes for a moment as he pressed the shutter button in his brain, to capture this moment as a mental image... _This...this is jack off material for a lifetime..._

"Enjoying the show?" A voice made Eren jump in his seat , phone violently hitting the underside of the table, before loudly landing on the floor.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Their outfits](https://aanerd.tumblr.com/post/169107480719/3rd-chapter-of-the-fic-is-up-read-it-on-ao3)  
>  Thank you so much for reading!  
> If you have a little time I would love to hear some feedback about how I'm doing so far?  
> You can leave kudos if you liked it (it's like giving me a pat on the back ❁) Hope you continue to enjoy the fic ^^


	4. Play cats and mouse II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [2 Bad Mice - Bad Mice (Remix)](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/169342421213/2-bad-mice-bad-mice-remix)

Praying to every deity that his only, awkwardness-fending device, has not just served it's last purpose, he picked it up from the ground, panic radiating towards the floor, from the black of his eyes. A hearty sigh of relief escaped the boys lips, as he reveled in the sight of an intact screen. The name "Irvin", framed by a faintly-gray search bar and a blinking cursor following it, was filling the screen and Eren almost dropped his phone again, trying to hide it from the prying eyes behind him.

"You know, phones are prohibited in here right? I mean the sign is right above your head..." The words were spoken at him through a chuckle.

Eren turned his gaze to the wall, the one that he was almost leaning on, to discover a rectangular sign the size of a flat-screen TV, neon violet letters clearly stating,  "PLEASE  RESPECT OTHERS PRIVACY. NO PHONES, CAMERAS OR RECORDING DEVICES ALLOWED IN THIS AREA."

 _Shit,_ the brunet cursed himself silently. He had overseen the glaring letters, not paying attention to what they said as he mistook them for just decoration. Apprehensively, he directed his gaze to finally look at the person speaking.

"For your own sake, I really hope you haven't been filming anything." Eren caught a sheen of violet, as it traveled across a pair of square glasses. "Also, that's not how you spell it."  He continued to stare at the tall person, that moved to stand next to him. The bright spotlight continued on its way, revealing two chestnut colored irises, which shifted their expression from serious to amused in a worryingly quick succession. The same hue was present on the persons hair, as Eren took in the high ponytail, that was not really managing to pull of the "effortlessly messy" look, and instead ended up appearing just plain unruly. Thigh-high boots were climbing up the nicely toned legs, branching into leather belts, tied firmly around the persons thighs, and extending further up, around the dark fabric of the lacy leotard they were wearing. It all seemed to be a rather complex ensemble, but nevertheless a sight to see, Eren concluded,  before something else caught his attention. They were not wearing any kind of face cover.

"Um..I am sorry..uh..I'll put it back..." Eren stammered, but was cut off by a loud voice.

"Into my hands!" An open palm appeared uncomfortably close to his face, and the boy stared at it for a moment, before realizing he was supposed to hand over the device. As he did so, they clutched the phone quickly with both hands, and started typing something, blinding Eren by turning the painfully bright screen directly into his face, a few moments later. "There!" The pony-tailed  one exclaimed, as green eyes adjusted to the light, and were now staring at the Facebook profile of a person named Erwin Smith. He reached out his hand, in an attempt to take a better look, but the phone disappeared from his line of vision, making him stupidly grab at nothing in the air in front of him. An ear-splitting cackle made people around them turn their faces, towards the table. "Nah-ah...No phones in here, remember? You'll get it back when you leave." They placed the phone in a pocket that was secured to their thigh with a belt. "And don't ever come in here with your phone again, understood?" The excitable gaze suddenly turned five levels darker, and Eren gulped. "I...won't...I promise."

"Good!" The smile was back again, and a long ponytail shook violently, as they plopped on the chair next to him.

"My name is Hanji, by the way...I guess it's only fair for you to know my name, as I am already familiar with yours...Eren."

So much for the sacred privacy policy, the boy thought. "It seems everyone already knows my name here," he remarked ironically.

"Not everyone," the look behind the glasses regarded him seriously, "Just the people who checked your I.D....and well, me." They shrugged with a smile, "But I own this dark bitch of a place, so your secret will not leave these lips," they said dramatically, locking their mouth with an invisible key.

"Oh, I see...Well nice to meet y..." His last few letter faded away in waves, as a hand shook his own, expressing its delight of meeting him, way to enthusiastically.

"I would ask you, how you like it here, but I have a suspicion, I already know the answer to that." The irises behind the glasses turned, to side-eye the area of the room, to where Eren still kept subconsciously shifting his gaze to.

"I don't blame you though...That bastard always loves to make sure he looks absolutely over the top..." they continued, as Eren turned his head back quickly, the darkness doing wonders for hiding his embarrassment. He giggled softly at the excited eyes he was met with, very clearly bursting with anticipation to answer any questions that Eren might had about the two.

He decided to indulge them, "So, what is up with the two bouncers anyway, did they not feel like working tonight?" He inquired, trying not to sound too interested.

His eardrums pulsed lightly again, from Hanji's loud shriek as he closed his eyes in an attempt to block out the piercing noise.

"Those two?!" A tight fabric clad arm stretched towards the man in the suit, and his companion, who managed to somehow look mean, even though he was wearing a pastel pink suit and a stupidly cute, fluffy tail.  Eren internally faced-palmed himself, noting down with huge red letters, that Hanji definitely had no sense of discretion.

"They are not bouncers, honey." Chestnut eyes winked at the boy. "If this place were some sort of fucked up kingdom, you would be regarding these two as royalty." The boy could definitely see why. They stood out from the rest of the crowd, like there was a halo of light, constantly following them around. Or maybe it was just Eren's imagination, skewed by the ever-growing  tightness of the area behind his zipper, that kept growing tighter, whenever his eyes landed on the two men.

"Erwin works for me though," they continued, not letting Eren chime in a single word, "Or rather with me, cause I uh..." They adjusted their glasses in a sign of slight hesitance, "I have...um this is not my only job, you see." 

"Oh so, um...they were at the door last..." Eren made another mental note, of getting used to not being able to finish his sentences, as he was cut off again.

"Yeah um, our regular bouncers needed a day off and these two offered to swoop in. I am almost certain they used the opportunity for some of their perverted role-play fantasies," They cackled while shaking their head lightly, in the direction of the two man.

Eren swallowed, and a third mental note was jotted down for that night - "Find out more about perverted role-play," it said in bold letters.

Feeling the need to change the subject, as the thoughts made him shift in his seat, he looked up at the cheerful face beside him "You're not wearing a...?"

"A mask? Yeah I feel like it is only appropriate as the owner. I actually like to make a point of greeting all the new faces coming in through that door," They pointed a finger towards the entrance, "To ensure them, they are welcome and safe, and that they can look for me if they need a friendly face to talk too." Eren felt a few strong pats land on his upper back, making him straighten his spine.

"Yet you completely ignored my blond friend and I, the last time we were here" Eren snarkily remarked, resting his chin on the fist of his right hand.

"Yeah...we'll that's a story for another time," the maroon eyes shifted their gaze to the right, as two men were approaching their sitting place. "Right now, it looks like you have company," they said enthusiastically, as they pushed themselves up from their seat, "Good luck, child." They left silently giggling.

A few seconds later, Eren met face-to-face with the subjects of his current and future wet dreams, standing right next to his table.

"I am glad to see, you seem to enjoy this place," a silky voice expressed politely, and Eren shuddered, as it brought back images from his most recently favorite masturbation scenario.

"I'm Erwin," The blond extended a giant palm and took the brunets, a small sting of electricity making them separate, before they could even properly shake hands. The tall man just hummed, as he raised a thick eyebrows at the boy looking up at him."I just wanted to officially introduce myself." He said, as Eren stared into numbingly blue eyes, before taking in a deep breathe, in an effort to gather his bearings. "Mm...Hi!" He cracked a smile, that looked anything but natural. Holding this stupid expression engraved on his face,  he turned his eyes to the other man.

"Levi." The eternal scowl-face-wearing man barked, checking out the brunet, before he turned his gaze away.

"What kind of infantile humor are you hiding under that shirt this time?" Eren's eyes lit up, after a moment of confusion, and he looked down at his own dark blue, button down shirt, the front part loosely draped over his torso, a few white letters etched over a black background peeking out underneath it.

 _Oh right,_ Eren thought, as he stood up, thanking his past self for always thinking about having some bad, backup humor at hand, to deplete any awkwardness.

He casually removed his long-sleeve top, and placed it over the chair's back, revealing a black T-shirt that was hidden behind it, "I don't know what you're talking about..." he tilted  his head to one side, eyes-widening innocently.

 

The sheepish tone of voice made silver eyes roll back in annoyance, only to center again on the white letters printed over the shirt,

 

_Felling knotty tonight_

 

 _I know a few knots I would gladly try out on you..._ Levi's eyes widened, as the uninvited thoughts forming in his head, caught him by surprise. They were promptly accompanied by vivid images, of ropes against tan muscles, and he had to shake his head a few times, to make them quickly dissipate into the smoke filled air of the club... _What the hell? Since when..._

A howling laugh came from his right side, making him unable to finish the thought, as he stumbled forward half-a-step, the strong hand accidentally tugging on the gentle string, that was unfortunately attached to his neck, in the fit of laughter his tall boyfriend was currently having.

"For fucks sake Erwin..." The shorter male rubbed the back of his head with his right hand, soothing the slight pain from the sudden pull.

Two giggling men and one looking anything but amused, were now standing beside the table, as the loud music forced them to lean a bit closer to each other, in order to manage any kind of successful conversation.

Erwin was the first to speak again, "So, you are alone tonight?", his turquoise eyes quickly darted over the empty chairs and a single, half-empty glass on the table.

"Yeah my friend went home, after we got out from this other club, called Trost." Eren answered with a smile still plastered all over his face.

"Tch, Trost," the grumpy man wrapped in candy scoffed a response, even though his eyes were still directed away from the conversation, seemingly trying to look uninterested.

"Friend? So you and the cute blond are not...?" Erwin inquired with wide-eyes and Eren honestly wasn't able to tell, if the man was glad or disappointed. God knows what was going on behind those deceivingly mild eyes.

"Oh no, no way." He shook his brown tresses, eyes squinting from the big smile he still hadn't let go off, "We get that a lot though..."

The taller man nudged the dark-haired one next to him, and the shorter male changed the direction of his annoyed expression, from looking into the distance, to staring up at a smirking face on his right. "I told you so..." The blond whispered quietly, but Eren was still able to catch the shape of the words on his lips. The other man just crossed his arms, shifting to lean on his right hip, making his elastic covered behind stand out even more.

Eren couldn't help they way it robbed his attention, as his gaze unabashedly shifted down, the view he was met with filling green eyes with two beautifully round, pink prominences. He barely managed to hold back a sigh.

"You could really use a lesson in subtlety..." The brunet's head jerked up quickly towards the voice, and his cheeks flamed up when he saw the piercing gray eyes, boring into him with amusement, for probably the first time ever, since they met.

"Go on...Ask me what's on your mind." He barely registered the words, as he stared at the smirk tugging at the corners of the elegantly thin lips in front of him.

""Is that a...how is it..uhm..." _Nope, none of those were coherent words,_ and Eren averted his gaze to look at his own feet, in a futile attempt to escape from the situation.

"Let me help you out." A whispery voice made him look up again.

"Is this tail..."

The man took a step closer.

"...Connected to a butt-plug..."

 Another bigger step followed the pervious.

 "...Shoved between my ass?"

Pursed lips were now occupying the brunet's entire field of vision.

"Why don't you check it out for yourself?" A small hand lifted the silver fur and equally silver eyes were daringly calling for the boy to come and tug at it.

Eren just stood like a statue, throat tightened as he forgot to take breaths in and out again. He didn't dare to move a single muscle.

Moments later, he felt long fingers, gently gripping the palm of his right hand, and pulling it forward, making the brunet's balance shift a little, and forcing him to lean on the rim of the table with the back of his thighs. His palm was being placed and tightly secured around the gentle fur, with the help of the porcelain-white hand pressing on top of it. The pulling motion that proceeded moved Eren's hand together with the soft tail, the slightest bit forward, before gently pushing back.

_Mmmm..._

The closed-lip moan echoed only inches away from Eren's lips.

Before he could even form any thoughts, or let alone react,  the whole scene abruptly stopped, as he saw a slit of silver moving away from him in a blur.

The brunet's eyelids were meeting each other rapidly, his mouth hanging lightly open, as his rapid heartbeat sent a small ringing alarm to his ears. He breathed in a gust of air and held it in his lungs for a fraction of a second, before puffing it out with a nervous chuckle, as a voice spoke softly,

"So, what do you thin _k_?" The man enunciated the last consonant with a whispery click, as he raised one dark, razor-sharp eyebrow, the mischievous smile never leaving his annoyingly smug face.

Yep, Eren thought,  this place is definitely going to kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Knotty Levi is knotty (˵ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°˵)
> 
> Next week we'll get a peek into the Smith/Ackerman household and for the people asking, smut is coming soon I promise! :)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!  
> If you have a little time I would love to hear some feedback about how I'm doing so far?  
> You can leave kudos if you liked it (it's like giving me a pat on the back ❁) Hope you continue to enjoy the fic ^^


	5. Dancing With Strangers in Dark Rooms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Rossell.ft.Emma - Dancing.With.Strangers](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/169614799653/rossellftemma-dancingwithstrangers)

"How the fuck do you always get to me like this?" A strained, shattered voice barely managed to roll the words out, against the velvety cotton beneath it. The delicate fabric was gradually soaking up the moisture, forming on the forehead of a man, usually  pale skinned, and catching stray beads of sweat, that were gliding down from charcoal hair strands, framing a very rosy face. There was also something else, mixing into this emotionally induced concoction.

"Because..." The man sitting up, close to the edge of the bed spoke, eyes drowning in the view of the other mans elegantly carved figure, lying face down, gripping onto the sheets with thin fingers. "...I...know...what...makes...every...little...inch...of...your...beautiful...body...tick..." And each word was accentuated with a small flick of fingers gently brushing over naked, delectably reddening butt cheeks, as the action was followed by a meager jerk and muffled wince from the recipient.

Strong hands, grabbed dark hair strands, burying their fingers in the back of an unprotesting head, as they pulled it backwards, lifting the man so he was now sitting upright on his knees.

The intoxicated expression on his lovers eyes, intensified by the bronzed light of the early morning peeking through a small gap in the curtains, made the man in charge instantaneously drop out of his assertive headspace, and let his face muscles freely mold into a display of pure affection.

"And I know every little thing that is going on in here," a pad of an index finger tapped a few times, on a still slightly damp forehead.

They created this world, encapsulated inside of a bubble a few years ago, building it slowly as they explored each other. Inside of it, no rules existing across its borders, had the power to affect them. They were free to walk it as they wished, most often than not following narrow, curvy paths, into dark, but bewitchingly gratifying places, that most people would be uneasy to even conjure up in their dreams. Inside of it, pleasure was sought from areas of the mind that defied convention, or worked in spite of it, even. In this world, pain was a means of trade, a shiny, golden coin, each of them approaching it from their own respective sides, one not being able to exist without the other. Nothing could replace the overwhelming amount of trust they shared, as they leaned on each other, to provide what the other needed to be complete. The comforting feeling of security was mutual, as one half of it came from the tall mans power to craft a map of pleasure, each time they played together. It was to be followed without hesitance, making it so that, every single string was in his hands, as he pulled them with confidence, reveling in the image of taking someone apart. If life was full of uncertainties, this was the one place that Erwin felt none.

The other half came from the wild eyed raven, having the freedom to relinquish all control, as every harsh touch made his muscles rigid, before sending him to a state of deep calm, a place where nothing else existed, but the overpowering sensation of surrendering to someone he loved and who loved him back. The end result was always way bigger than the sum of its parts, and Erwin could never get enough of seeing the man beneath him, succumb to emotions from it, an admittedly scarce occurrence, that he intended to cherish while it lasted.  He caught a tear with his lips, as it was passing over lit up cheeks, while the perfect, silver eyed man, he wouldn't been able to put together even in his most extravagant dreams, leaned back into his palm, still placed on the back of his dark locks.

 _Thank you for letting me do this to you..._ Blue eyes spoke their gratitude silently.

 

"Shower?" A coarse voice asked.

"Shower..." Erwin nodded, and just like that, the rare moment was over.

 

* * * * * *

 

The night sky was slowly eating up the last strips of light, preparing to send the world into a time of comfortable darkness. That was the idea at least, yet to many it was the beginning of restless thoughts taking over all corners of their minds, that were no longer numbed down with daily distractions.

 It has been almost a full hour of a pained expression not leaving his lovers face. Erwin watched the shorter man brood on the sofa, heartbreakingly blank eyes staring into the TV. This was unfortunately a common routine, and the tall man hated every moment of it, as Levi locked his thoughts away and processed them in dead silence, until he was ready to move on, usually not mentioning a single thing about what had been bothering him. The way he slammed their front door about 60 minutes ago, told Erwin the day at the job was difficult and he didn't dare to ask about the story this time. He leaned on the wooden doorframe of their kitchen, looking at the raven from the right, as the man's scrunched eyebrows indicated he was struggling to erase pictures and words from his mind. What could've it been this time? A child carrying anger as twice as big as its age? A girl barely being able to walk from emaciation? Did an abusive parent show up to look for their "good-for-nothing" teenager?

Levi had seen it all, but there were still cases that were more difficult and more personal, than the others and he was only able to keep a cool head for so long, before letting an unfair, anger-inducing story of a child neglected by its parents and consequently the whole world, get to him.

Erwin was insanely proud of  his boyfriend and his work with the Humanity's Strongest, but he wished Levi would talk more and absentmindedly wallow in sadness less, on days when things got difficult. There was no doubt about the fact that Erwin would eventually find out what happened from Krista, as she was always present during first interviews, being the main counselor in the organization, so for now, he'd just let the usually awe-worthy face, agonize over whatever had happened, until the memories were repressed enough for the man to move on.

Erwin thought back to how, even in Isabel's case, she was the one who eventually told him the story about the way she met Levi. The story of how, him and  Farlan, his roommate at the time, practically grabbed her by the wrists, dragging her out from the streets, and into an old but well kept house. All three of them being still in their early teens at the time, she expected the worst, but instead, what she got was a plate of homemade food, slid slowly across the table towards her, with a promise that she could leave after she eats, if she wanted to. Isabel was an orphan, raised by the cruel conditions of the streets she had to tirelessly roam, sharp reflexes granting her a fruitful career in pick-pocketing, which became her only way of survival. She remembered taking a wallet from the taller guy, and was sure the two boys brought her here because of that. But after staring into the plate for half an hour while her stomach grumbled, she gave in, menacingly glaring at the pair of teens with every bite. A few apprehensive words, gradually turned into a conversation and eventually a plan, and that day she got, not only a warm meal, but a shower, fresh clothes, new friends, a family and most importantly a future. The trio wrecked havoc in Sina, and it was only when Farlan and Isabel announced their engagement years later, that they all took a few giant steps back, and reconsidered the many possible ways their lives could go from here, instead of just downwards. All of these circumstances were responsible for Levi ending in his bedroom, and eventually in his home, heart and mind. Erwin found himself grinning at nothing, as the memories of their first meeting came back in flashes of very provocative snapshots and he had to hold back a snort at the thoughts.

He realized his mind trailed off on quite a tangent, prompted by the dark display in his living room, and he was remembering now, he had something he wanted to poke his words at, hoping to provide distraction to the ravens grim mindset.

"So last night in the club was interesting..." Erwin started the investigation into a mystery that were Levi's thoughts, trying to sound as-matter-of-factly as possible.

"What do you mean?" Levi asked, not moving his gaze from the television in front of him.

"Well, you know...you...and that kid..." The tall man said still leaning on the doorframe.

Levi continued  to feign ignorance, but a small smile managed to break through his face in a shape of a quiet huff, "Again, what about it?"

Erwin sighed imperceptibly. _Ok, maybe not just yet ._

The piercing sound of a doorbell filled the small, but modern two bedroom house, as it reflected back from the beige colored low ceilings, uncomfortably intensifying the noise. He really needed to talk Levi into adding more things into their very sterile looking living space, as the echo from the empty surfaces became unbearable, but that was a battle for another day.

"Finally, the food is here..." Levi stood up to get the door, escaping before Erwin could say anything more.

 

* * * * * *

 

The music was pressingly inviting tonight, Eren concluded, his whole body itching to get lost in the sounds, as he leaned one elbow on the bar, back resting against it. He got in a lot earlier this Friday, as the outing in Trost was skipped, due to Armin spending the night in the lab. He mumbled something over the phone about ion channels, mutations and diseases connected to it, but the brunet didn't even get to slide in a question, before the mad scientist hung up on him.

There were not many people in the club yet.

 

"So...what exactly are you doing in here kid?" He was startled by a sound behind him. By now, he recognized it as the voice of the bartender, or the dog-man as Eren liked to refer to him.

"I am...do I need to be doing anything?" In time with his words rolling out, he realized suddenly that yes, actually he did. He needed to figure out whatever these confusing feelings were, that kept him coming back to club Titan, Friday after Friday, since the first time he planted a foot in this place. "I guess, I am still just exploring around," he answered quickly.

"Can I maybe...help you with that?" A cheeky smile tugged on the bartenders lips, as he leaned in closer.

"M!" A voice called from somewhere on the right. "It's rude to leave your customers waiting like this", Eren turned as another familiar face was now seated at the bar, expression as polite and pleasant as ever. The brunet never noticed him coming in. 

"Since when do you need me to pour you a drink? You're the boss-man, just go and take whatever you want," the other blond barked, as he attempted to turn his attention back to Eren, before being cut off again.

"Actually I was feeling like a cocktail tonight, so how about you mix me up a Tropical Fizz?" Erwin said calmly, while the other blonds expression slowly turned into a death stare."Coming right up your majesty!" The bartender replied with a mocking voice.

 

"Hey kid!" The handsome man greeted the boy with an enthusiastic grin, scrunching the white surgical mask it was wrapped in. Eren didn't feel like hiding behind his teddy bear one anymore. He knew nobody in this town and nobody knew him, his job barely landed him in the need to communicate with other people face to face, so there was no point to being so protective about his privacy. He kept it safely tucked away though, keeping it in mind for possibly more exciting purposes one day.

"It's Eren", the green eyed boy said with a huff. He never appreciated them calling him a "kid" or "brat" but up until this point, he was too shy to snarkily correct strangers. Now that they have talked a few times and had some...interesting interactions, he felt a bit more at ease to regard the men more casually. Maybe this feeling of comfort was also prompted by the fact that, he didn't actually see Mr. Mean-Eyes anywhere yet.

As his eyes scanned the room, what he did notice was a pair of crystal clear irises snapping up, at the mention of his name. He stared into them, across Erwin's shoulder and this time he was sure he wasn't imagining things. The woman he saw on his first night in here, looked at him for a mere moment, before looking back at her drink, that was placed on the bar. Even with her gaze down, the distress was clearly written in the lines between her eyebrows . Eren couldn't recall a single explanation as to why he was eliciting such reactions from someone, that was a complete stranger to him...Or did they know each other from somewhere? The brunet walked a circle through his brain, searching for anything that could potentially serve as a logical answer. He pushed his palm against the counter hesitantly, as he contemplated whether to approach whoever was hiding behind the long smile. He despised mysteries. Before he could let the irritation slowly take over his mind though, a gentle voice reminded him, there are better places his attention could have been right now.

"I got something for you _Eren_ ," two bushy eyebrows raised, as the man overly emphasized his name.

Eren smirked slightly, as he shifted his gaze to observe the beautiful man next to him. Erwin was wearing a patterned light brown suit, that he paired with a bulky, pastel-orange knit tie, looking like he just stepped out of a set, for a 1950s romance flick.

 _Flawless as always,_ Eren thought while gawking, not trying to hide his awe.

"Here," the tall man threw a black piece of plastic towards the younger one, "Hanji told me to give this to you if I saw you tonight."

"Uh thanks..." He replied staring at the thin, shiny, purple letters spelling out his name, as he caught a shadow leaving the bar with a corner of his eyes. He was unable to give it any more attention though, as the man spoke again.

"We thought you might want to come in, on other days than just Friday." The man said with a wink. "This is not an obligation by any means...Just giving you the option."

Before the brunet could say anything back, Erwin continued, "So, I've heard you were quite entranced by my boyfriends ass the other night." He said it loud enough, for anyone nearby to hear it.

Eren spat his drink back into the glass.

Dog-man just snickered loudly, while shaking the cocktail for the millionth time, trying to get it to the right consistency for serving.

 

 _Damn it Hanji! Goddamnit..._ He looked around in panic, eyes searching for the man whose ass was the topic of the conversation.

"Don't worry, he's not here yet and I haven't told him anything. Although I'm pretty sure he noticed..." Erwin said, knowing exactly what the boy was thinking.

"I am really sorry! It didn't mean to be...rude uh...He's just..." _Stop that thought right there, Eren._

"Drop-dead gorgeous?" The blond said, looking into Eren's mind through his eyes.

_Fuck._

"Yeah..." Eren admitted with the faintest voice.

"I am not mad at you, you know...just a little offended, that you haven't dedicated the same attention to my ass too," he said as nonchalantly as one would talk about the days weather.

Eren's entire body turned into the color of corals in the deep sea, as his brain tried to process the words that just flew through his ear canal.

"I mean, I really thought it looked good, you know...The nice suit and all, but hey..." The man shrugged his shoulders, looking down at his know complete drink, before looking up at Eren.

"No sir...I mean...your ass is...uh..." The brunet stopped for a moment, before erupting into boisterous laughter, that made him bend in half, hands flying to his face to conceal it.

 _Damn it, this kid is so amusing_. A blond eyebrow quirked up at the boy, as in questioning the motive behind the laughing fit.

 

"Sorry...It's just I never thought I would use the words ass and sir in the same sentence," Eren said still giggling, noting that what he said previously, could barely qualify as intelligible, let alone a sentence.

Erwin's eyes sparkled at him with intrigue, "Maybe that's something we could change in the future."

The lewd undertones, wiped out the remaining smile off of his face and changed it into one of confused expression ,as the words found their respective meanings in his mind. He imagined things that he didn't want to imagine in a public setting. Abruptly pushing himself away from the counter, he made a few steps forward, before walking back, downing the rest of his drink and leaving without a word, towards the dance floor.

 

The grumble of the bass soon overpowered the loud thoughts in his racing mind. He felt it vibrating inside his chest, the pleasant shake spreading all the way across his body, until it escaped through his fingertips.

He brushed his thumb and index finger gently together, jumping slightly at the shock of static electricity, sending goose bumps back to his chest. He smiled. This made him feel like a superhuman, as if nothing could touch him in his cocoon of  high spirit, loud noises and smoke as he got enveloped in the darkness. The music was fast, a little angry even, but Eren always moved to it like he was swimming through water, his ears singling out all of the tiny samples and effects that made the music piece richer and so, so intricate. He tried to imagine himself in the mindset of the artist behind it. _Were those birds chirping faintly in the background? Is that a wall clock echoing through a room? Did somebody just open a metal door? What was the story hidden behind the noise?_

He looked up at the stage, to see the familiar fiery-eyed brunette, wickedly smiling down at someone next to her. Green eyes moved in the same direction and he saw a shorter man, with a buzz-cut, gazing back at her with an equally devilish smile, as both of them bobbed their heads to the beat, two pairs of hands expertly operating the music equipment. They gave each other a knowing look,  as they abruptly stopped the show for a few seconds, lights completely going out, before the loud tremble of the bass brought them back, together with deafening cheers from the crowd.

Eren's hips swayed in time with it, his feet stepping around in a small circle, that was just his own. Long arms followed the build-up and play down of the melody, as his eyes flew shut, enabling him the experience of full immersion.

He knew he was a sight to see when he danced, he was made aware of that many times and tonight was no different. He didn't need to look, to know he had curious eyes all over him, and he let that awareness feed his starving confidence for the next hour.

 

Deciding he really needed to recover his water to body ratio, before he dehydrates, he slowly made his way back to the bar. Very slowly in fact, as the club was now quite crowded. He fought his way through, until his hands reached the counter, and after taking a while to get the attention of a certain canine mask, he resumed his original position of leaning against the bar, with a bottle of water in his hand. Jade eyes, shimmering with violet lighting, caught onto a peculiar sight. A thick sponge-like fabric, with Victorian style flower patterns painted all over it, stitched together with a black, wide-threaded lace hem, was being generously squeezed by a broad palm. Beneath these short, skimpy pants, was of course, the most absurdly sexy ass in existence.

He trailed his eyes up across a bare back, to a bralette with the same design, the black straps of it connecting to flowery shoulder pads, with black pearls and golden chains hanging off of it, circling a tastefully toned bicep. Of course, a similar collar was part of the deal, and it was tightly wrapped around the man's neck, beautifully complementing his dark hair. Eren didn't need to see his face to know who he was. Or rather he couldn't, as it was thoroughly buried in another, equally beautiful face, one of golden hair and impeccable hairstyle. Widening his focus, Eren discovered a shorter man plastered to a broad chest of a taller one, his back leaning on the counter, as their lips were connecting in a kiss, that was anything but prude.

 _I definitely understand the meaning of the no pictures rule now,_ Eren thought, as he wished to have this scene repeatedly play, over his computer screen. He mentally reached out his palms, and placed them on both of the men before him, one hand helping with the squeezing of the fabric on the shorter man's behind, the other unbuttoning the tall mans shirt and running slowly over the muscled chest hidden behind it. He sighed out, getting too lost in his imagination, so much so, that he didn't notice silver and blue eyes staring at him with shit-eating grins.

"Look brat, I don't know what you're looking for here, but unless your plans in the future include bending me over, and spanking me, or rather letting Erwin do that to you, you will have to tone down your gawking." A thin black eyebrow raised up in a warning, as a strand of black hair swayed slightly in front of it.

"I have a feeling he would much rather have _both of us_ bend _him_ over," Erwin's eyes gleamed, with the teasing words, as he leaned one elbow on the bar. _Well somebody had to say something...._ He thought as  he swayed his head lightly, looking at the two men next to him, one more confused than the other, while waiting for any reactions from them.

Seconds passed by, as Eren stared back in dead silence. It was starting to get humiliatingly awkward and the brunets skin was coming close to setting off the fire alarm.

His eyes desperately glanced between Levi, who looked like he needed to pick up his jaw from the ground, and the blond, who on the other hand, was smiling like he was having the time of his life.

"Excuse me", Levi said calmly to his tall companion, before grabbing Eren by the bicep, and yanking him away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, this turned out quite sappy...I think I over-indulged in metaphors a bit in this chapter lol, but I couldn't help it ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> Hope it was still an enjoyable read!  
> [Their outfits](https://aanerd.tumblr.com/post/169615415074/new-chapterino-is-up-read-it-on-ao3-drawing-based)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!  
> If you have a little time I would love to hear some feedback about how I'm doing so far?  
> You can leave kudos if you liked it (it's like giving me a pat on the back ❁) Hope you continue to enjoy the fic ^^


	6. My own worst enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Dave Seaman - My Own Worst Enemy (Spector Mix)](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/169898598703/dave-seaman-pres-group-therapy-feat-nat-leonard)
> 
> A FEW WARNINGS:  
> \- In this chapter we dive a bit into Eren's past. So there are mentions of past trauma, past character death, mentions of the accident and such.  
> \- Although I knitted a few things already into previous chapters, this time I went into more detail about Eren's not so healthy ways of coping with...well life.  
> So there are mentions of unhealthy coping mechanisms.
> 
> I don't go into any of it too deeply or seriously but I thought I warn you anyway. Hope it's not to difficult to read!

He dragged him to the right, until they reached the end of the bar, after which he took a turn behind the counter and then through a passage in the wall, that was concealed by a bulky, dark curtain, as the sound of music was gradually replaced by loud stomping. Eren noticed the clap was coming from black, platform shoes, and he would have marveled at the man's expert way of maneuvering them,  if he had the time, but the pull on his sleeve was relentless, eventually landing him in a small room, murky with dust. The heavy door started lazily closing up behind them, creaking it's protest, before Levi's hand put a stop to it, pushing it back, as his other hand found the light switch. The flicking sound that followed sent in a painful white haze, clouding Eren's eyesight, before he recovered and found himself in a storage room, with an eccentrically dressed, and mildly agitated man standing opposite him. The place was large enough to accommodate two people and a single chair, giving them enough space to stand safely apart from each other, before their backs would hit the walls covered in tall shelves. They were filled with plastic boxes and liquor bottles in every shape and color, all the way up to the ceiling.

"Is it true?" Levi's head was tilted down slightly, as he spoke the words, staring at the floor, before he shifted his gaze to look directly up at Eren. "What Erwin just said?"

Eren stared back through him, as his words got stuck behind his teeth. There were so many things he didn't yet understand about all of this, so many questions he needed an answer to, as the words _both of us_ still echoed through his head. _Yes_ , he thought. Despite any doubts, that were fueled by tiny ambers of fear, rolling down and landing everywhere around him, as he held the torch to light his way into this unexplored territory that was the world of BDSM, one thing he knew for certain. He felt attraction towards both of the males, as crazy as it may sounded. He had a mental library full of inciting fantasies to back that up.

"Oi, Earth to brat..." Levi scrunched his eyebrows, moving his head a bit forward, as he decided to step closer. He squinted his eyes, as if he was trying to see what was happening behind the large, green eyes, that went through at least 4 different emotions in the past few seconds.

Finally they focused on him, and the shorter man had to take a step back again, tiny pinches of electricity running down his spine, as they stared at each other. _I swear this kid is a witch or some shit,_ he thought as he tried to cut down on the very obvious tension between them, by looking away.

The room was way too crowded and visibly un-kept for Levi's sentiments, but he had...compelling memories attached to it, as images brought on by the sweet smell of fruits and alcohol, as well as the sudden sound of rattling bottles, made his heart rate quicken up a bit. The fact that he had a blushing brat in such close proximity didn't help his case, as he realized the anxious brunet accidentally shook one of the shelves with his elbow, in his attempt to put as much distance between them as possible.

"What...if it was?" Levi heard him finally speak, shyly, the boy too not managing to keep eye contact, as he looked down to his own fidgeting fingers.

"Tch." The silver-eyed man let out a huff, in time with shaking his head, "In that case I would have to inform you, that you are barking up the wrong tree." He finished the sentence by meeting green eyes again. " I am not a dom you know, if that's how things were going down in your cute head...I thought it was pretty obvious..." 

Eren stood in silence, as he confirmed to himself that yeah, that's exactly how the story played down in all of his imaginations. He had a fair understanding about the relationship between Levi and Erwin, and he was aware of the eccentric man's roll in it, but still...Eren couldn't put a finger on the feeling, he only knew that Levi, coupled with the tall man usually standing right beside him, made his stomach feel the good kind of sick as it filled his mind with explicit content to the brim. Maybe....maybe, he was sensing and assuming things that were not actually there.

"Guess there's nothing more to talk about then..." The brunet shrugged, looking down awkwardly at his hands again.

"Um, I...guess..." Sharp eyes looked confused for a second, before turning to the side. _I don't know what I expected out of this..._ Levi questioned his own actions.

None of them made any attempts to leave for a long few seconds, before the raven finally grabbed the door handle behind him, body still faced towards Eren. He stepped out with a sigh, walking slowly, as he heard footsteps follow close behind.

"You don't sound so sure you know..." Eren was not good at letting things go unresolved,  spite slowly working its way through his body. He could clearly recall Levi's behavior from the past couple of weeks, and how it was constantly fluctuating between ice cold and blazing hot, making Eren thoroughly flustered, but also confused as to what to make of it. There was something so attractive about blazing hot Levi, dangerous eyes looking at his own, like they were ready to swallow him at any moment. Maybe Levi himself was confused... He certainly looked like it. Eren also didn't forget the not so subtle remarks made by the other male. There must've been something more to that?

"You don't get to psychoanalyze me brat, like you know what you're talking about."

He was stopped in his thoughts by the raven's cold voice.

Levi was a frustrating person to talk to, Eren concluded, feeling irritated, as they stepped into the club again. _Fine, whatever,_ he proceeded to walk straight across the club and to the door, passing next to a confused blond, before stepping through the exit without a word, letting the faintly simmering anger in his belly take control over his actions. If this was just a fun teasing game they were playing, then it was cruel.

 

*******

 

"That was the entire conversation..." Erwin hung his keys on the wooden hook mounted on the wall of their hallway, as he stepped through the front door. His boyfriend trailed behind him, recounting the happenings from half an hour ago. The blond was trying hard not to laugh, over the fact that, Levi called that a conversation.

"Was I right though?" He asked, stopping to look at the man taking off his coat and putting it away in the wardrobe on the other wall.

Levi stared silently at him for a few moments, before speaking up.

"I just told you...He didn't say it explicitly but..."

"I'm asking about you, Levi. Do you think there are things we should talk about?" Erwin asked with a stern voice.

"Like what?" Levi sounded indifferent, even though he knew exactly what his boyfriend was referring to. He just really wasn't in the mood for taking a deep dive into the mess that were his feelings tonight.

"Oh I don't know...Maybe how, for some reason, you act completely insufferable, when you're next to that kid. Maybe about, how I jokingly made a half-baked assumption about the kid's preferences, and you both jumped onto my words like I gave you a direct order to act on them. Or maybe how you stubbornly try to avoid talking about all of this...You know that..."

"...Communication is important, yes,  I think that our entire neighbourhood knows that by now...every fucking bird, on all of the nearby tries..." Levi interjected, as he was getting scolded for the umpteenth time over his lack of enthusiasm for endless babbling, about things he wouldn't know how to put in words anyway. "Can we just leave this for tomorrow?" He said with evident annoyance, as he absentmindedly swiped over their kitchen table with his open palm a few times, removing the invisible crumbs.

"As you wish. In fact, let's leave it until sometime tomorrow night, so you have plenty of time to think through your actions of the past weeks... in silence." Erwin said as he turned his heal towards the bathroom.

 

While his stubborn attitude was tolerated when it came to his work, Levi knew Erwin would never allow him to hide his feelings behind a lack of communication, when it came to their relationship. He sighed loudly, as he ran one hand through his hair. A physical punishment would've been better, any other punishment in fact, and boy did Levi knew, Erwin had some creative ones. But this, this he hated the most, being ignored, as he was metaphorically sent to his room like some child, to think about what he had done.

_Fuck it, maybe right now, that's exactly what I need._

 

*******

 

A backpack full of, what sounded like books, hit the laminate floor with a faint thump.

"Eventful night?" Green eyes inquired, while following the living version of Rapuznel's Bad Hair day, enter the room. Fair enough, his own brown locks were in an equally disheveled state, as he observed them, on the stand-by computer screen in front of him. The steam from the coffee he was holding too close it, soon formed a strip of thin fog over the reflection, obscuring his view.

"Yeah you could say that again. You too?" Armin made a few back-and-forth,  half circle motions with his index fingers under both of his eyes, signaling to Eren's very prominent gray shadows decorating his face.

"Yep." Eren said lips crunching together. "Didn't hear you come in," calm and lethargic, his voice was also making sure to betray his tiredness.

"I tried to be sneaky, not to wake you up...But I guess I didn't, did I?" Armin's eyebrows knitted together in slight worry, thinking about why his friend was awake at such early hours.

"No, not at all, I haven't even gone to bed yet" Eren gave a half smile, barely open eyes zoning out on a single white carpet strand, standing off of the hem.

"Ok, I wanna hear all about it." The blond nudged his friend, shaking the coffee cup dangerously  close to spilling.

"Hey! Careful!" Eren said, as a drop of hot liquid made a stinging contact with the bare skin above his knees. He snickered to himself, _I guess pain doesn't sound fun out of the desired context..._

"What are you giggling about? Out with it already..." Armin tapped his hand on the computer table next to Eren impatiently, before making his way into the kitchen on the opposite side, to pour himself a coffee, too. He leaned on both elbows, all ten fingers wrapped around the cup, as he sipped on the hot beverage, listening to his best friends detail his latest adventure.

The sun was slowly shifting from over saturated orange, to its full yellow glory, as Eren finished his talking.

"So yeah, basically I need you to tell me, there is a perfectly reasonable, scientific explanation to the fact that, I have a hopeless crush on not one, but two men, and that I want them both to do unspeakable and potentially painful things to me, for my own pleasure." The brunet laughed loudly and Armin joined in, after he forcefully swallowed the sip of coffee stuck in his mouth, not wanting to spit it out, in the sudden urge to laugh too.

"Actually, polyamory is not as uncommon as you might think." He said still half giggling."It's also not new either. There was this Christian group in the 1800s..." Armin's gaze tilted up,  as he searched through the many files of unnecessary knowledge, stored haphazardly in his mind.

"Alright, alright....I can't take in a history lesson right now." Eren smiled, stopping the blond before he wandered off onto a road of endless fact listing.

"Geez, fine...it was to going to be really interesting, though." Armin faked a pout, before continuing, "As for your other...desires, they are even more common, so no need to worry about your sanity. Just please, for the love of your sister and me, be careful and responsible about it..." Blue eyes bored into him, knowing the words weren't being looked up nearly enough, in the brunet's vocabulary.

"I know, I know...it seems like I won't have the need to think about that, though...After last night..." Eren furrowed his eyebrows, as he thought back to his conversation with Levi.

"You should try talking to the other, nicer guy." Armin said. "After all, he was the one making assumptions and suggestions..."

Armin was right. Eren stupidly left the place, indulging his feeling of irritation, never considering the fact that not all options were off the table. Hopefully. They could still...try things, even though Levi might not be what Eren wished him to be. He realized, even before Armin stepped through the door, as he watched the night getting shyly taken over by the dawn, that he would  happily adjust his expectations, if it meant he gets to touch the two man in any capacity.

 _Oh boy, look who's already so far gone..._ He sighed out, smiling disapprovingly at the flutter in his chest.

"Yeah... I definitely should." Eren confirmed."Anyway...what about you? Do you at least get a bonus for pulling all these night shifts?" He asked, feeling sorry for the blond, that couldn't seem to catch a break from his work. They barely saw each other lately.

"Oh I don't actually mind it. We are in the middle of some research and the excitement is to high in the lab right now, for any of us to go home, until we've done everything we could for the day. Hanji and I did a bunch of tests last night, waited forever for the results to be done and then spent even longer than forever noting the findings down. It doesn't sound that fun when I say it like this, but..." Armin trailed off again, spilling out scientific lingo while describing their experiments, but Eren wasn't listening anymore.

"Did...did you say Hanji?" Eren raised his head, eyes scrunched, as if he wasn't sure he heard it right.

"Um..yeah? They are my boss...I thought I mentioned them quite a few times already."

Armin's boss is named Hanji? How many of them could there be in Sina? Eren sincerely hoped not many, as one was already too much to handle .

He wondered for a moment, if he should mention something to his friend, about his boss's double-life as a owner of the club, that was coincidentally, the cause for all of Eren's latest turbulences in life, but he quickly decided against it. It was not his right, to reveal such information, and even more so, he remembered how Hanji purposefully didn't greet them on their first night in club Titan, concluding that they probably recognized Armin and didn't feel comfortable approaching their future employee in a fetish club.

Let the two of them handle that amongst each other.

"Oh yeah you did, just never by their name, that's all. It's kind of a strange name huh?" Eren tried to find an acceptable explanation for his earlier surprise.

"I guess, yeah..." Armin agreed, but his eyes squinted into a narrow line, revealing his scepticism.

The light coming through the window, had reached deep into the room by now, and two scruffy heads agreed between yawns, it was time to catch up on the sleep they missed last night.

 

******

 

Eren woke up first, restless brain-racking not letting him get an honest rest. Not only was he chasing thoughts around his newly discovered desires. Not only did he wonder what to do about it and when, but one other image kept forcing itself between the jumble of others.

_Who was that disturbing woman at a bar?_

Why did she react in such a way to his name? Did Eren know her? Maybe without the mask he could...

A loud ringing sound put a stop to his train of thoughts, as he saw the name Hannes flash over the computer screen. He jumped up from his bed, and fumbled around the speakers to lower the volume, making an even louder racket in the process, before clicking to answer the call.

Two pleasant smiles, greeted him on the other side. "Hello, Eren!" They said almost in unison.

"Mikasa!" Eren squeaked, instantly forgetting the concern for his still sleeping friend. He might as well wake up already, it was nearly 6 p.m.

From there, he didn't hold his voice back, as he chatted to his sister and step-father, happy to look at dark hairs and round, carbon-black eyes again, after such a long time. Mikasa was an extraordinary talent in Marshal Arts, and she was currently on tour, teaching self-defense classes in high-schools, travelling constantly from city to city. Eren was so proud of her, and also a little glad, she was busy with things that were not  his life. He often fought with Mikasa over the fact that she acted more like a mother to him, than a sister most of the times, but in reality Eren knew he couldn't blame her. After all, he was the kind of a person to drunkenly end up in a fetish club, and then realize he would need to face things that he wasn't emotionally equipped to deal with. He knew he compensated for his socially inept self, by not letting himself overthink to much, and rather just going for what he thought was right at the time. It sometimes made his boldness come off unnatural or exaggerated, as he more often than not ended up doing or saying things he shouldn't have done or said. It was a cause of endless headaches for his sister.

He knew that sometimes, taking a step back and not following after an impulse was the right move to make, in order to avoid getting hurt.

Today was not that kind of a day though, as a thought wiggled its way out of his mind.

 "Hey Hannes, do we know anyone in Sina?" He asked, bringing the topic into the conversation unexpectedly.

There was a silence on the other side of the screen, as Mikasa furrowed her eyebrows, first at Eren and then at Hannes.

Eren knew that look very well.

While Hannes wasn't fully aware of the extent of it, every since the brunet's days in the hospital bed, Mikasa and he had developed a rather unreasonable, but nevertheless productive way of coping with the lack of answers in their life, when it came to the circumstances of their parents accident. It all started because, each of their efforts to find out the details of what happened, was shrugged away with short, non-specific explanations.

They were told the vehicle in his father's hands had spiraled out of control, and flew over the bank, before crashing into a river. Their mother's body was found on the shore, her death being instant.

Their father's body? _Location unknown._

The cause of the car flying into the river? _Unknown._

The reason for the almost non-existent news reports and articles covering the event. _Unknown._

Too many blanks, were slowly started to get filled in, by the imagination of a worried mind, belonging to a little dark haired girl, hunched over a wide-eyed boy in his hospital bed, on a specifically difficult night. Mikasa talked, holding Eren's hands, whose small belly was rising up and down frantically, as she tried to calm her little brothers breathing. She spoke about secret glances their parents sometimes exchanged, the mysterious place their father would disappear for months at a time, the basement of their house that they were never allowed to peek into, and the hushed conversations the two youngsters would overhear after bedtime, as Eren joined in gradually with his own observations, both of their childish brains, coming up with imaginative stories, one always being a tad more unrealistic than the other....

Over the years, their beloved mother and father took their respective roles as spies, secret government agents, important military personnel and everything in between, that a child's vivid mind could dream up. Their house was a playground of clues, which they would recall from memory, every time one of them came up with a new fantasy, to explain the circumstances of their parents deaths. Seeing as Eren slowly started to come out of his cocoon, the doctors and the adults surrounding them, didn't want to put a stop to their little game, deeming it harmless at the time. The assumption was, the two kids would grow out of it, as time passes and reality becomes more bearable. And their predictions weren't far from the truth.

They grew up, and both Mikasa and Eren learned to confine their thoughts to a border of reasonable limits, as the talks between them became sparse, life drifting the two siblings away, each of them tangled in their own web of responsibility's and difficulties of early adult life. Most of the time, Eren kept his sorrow jammed deeply down, in the back of his mind, putting on a spiteful smile to the faith, that had arranged such a difficult start to his life.

But on certain occasions, the learned behavior forced itself to the forefront of his consciousness,  and he couldn't ignore the alarms that went off in his head, whenever he encountered something that his 10 year old brain would classify as a clue. This was when his desire to poke at it would come back.

That look his sister gave him, was a look of plea for him to stop, Eren knew that. He realized, he was probably being irrational and that this quest for the truth, would probably prove to be futile, as it happened too many times before. He knew he should listen to her, but he didn't want to. Not yet.

"Um...what makes you think that?" This time, Eren didn't miss the mildly distressed expression, and the way Haness didn't look very keen on answering the question. The brunet also recalled the apprehensiveness of the old man, after Armin and he were over-the-moon for discovering their life was leading them into the big city. Putting all these things together, it was enough for Eren to develop an itch he needed to scratch.

A grouchy but handsome golden head, appeared over his right shoulder, setting it's chin on top of it, "How dare you have a reunion without me?" A sleepy smile lightly radiated towards the screen, as the boy plopped next to Eren.

The conversation continued in a more pleasant direction, but not before the siblings exchanged a few looks, silently agreeing that the subject from before needed to be talked about further.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the not so cheery chapter...I promise there will be rainbows after the storm. *wink* *wink*  
> Btw did anyone guess Hanji's other job? ^^


	7. Reveal yourself (It's a big sky)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [John O`Callaghan ft. Audrey Gallagher - Big Sky](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/170149072928/john-o-callaghan-ft-audrey-gallagher-big-sky)
> 
> I don't know what happened, but here's a double sized chapter to kick off your weekend.  
> There's a teensy bit of kinky Yumikuri inside.

An hour later, Eren was nervously pacing around the apartment, a whole different itch on his mind, as his feet moved towards the front door, before stopping for a few moments, and turning back into the apartment again.

Armin sat on the sofa, as he looked at his fully dressed friend, emerging for the third time from the hallway, blue eyes mimicking the worried expression Eren was wearing himself,

"I want to help, how can I help?" He asked the brunet, putting down the book he was reading. "Do you want me to push you through the door?" Blue eye squinted from with a wide grin.

Eren gave him a mocking, half-hearted smile in return. "Can you, please?" He said, while clenching the little black card with his name on it, between his fingers, pushing it deeper into his pocket.

"Seriously, just go already," cyan eyes flicked their irises a few times pointedly at the door. "Your caged-animal walk is making me dizzy."  Armin meant that with no malice, although Eren's fidgeting _was_ actually distracting him from important work related reading, he had to catch up on.

"Yeah, I will...I am." The brunet stopped for a moment, to nod his head, before leaving the room once more.

A few moments later, there was a sound of rattling keys followed by a door creak, and an exasperated sigh left the blond's mouth, "Thank God..."

"I can still hear you!" He heard the brunet giggle from the other side of the door.

"Jesus Eren just go away already!"

 

A few hours prior, in a certain, colorful foliage surrounded house, on the outskirts of the same city, two men were spending a rather sour evening.

Silver eyes stared into nothing, sulky expression bordering on anger, as the cause of his brooding sat a little further to his right, frameless glasses splitting the tall man's nose in half, his contemplative gaze not budging away, from the hard-covered words he was holding in his palms, even for a second.

Levi tried everything, like being inordinately nice, as he wordlessly followed Erwin around all day. He held back on curse words, as his boyfriend made a mess out of their kitchen, preparing his to-go dinner, that he would bring to work later. He voluntarily sat through one of Erwin's favorite vintage comedy movies, that they happened to stumble upon while scrolling through the channels on their TV, internally cringing every time a laugh track followed an incredibly cheesy and most of the time very inappropriate one liner. Being a good egg didn't work though, so he took a more thought out approach to getting Erwin's attention, and that was being overtly seductive, as he changed from his day clothes, to cleaning clothes in front of the man, before proceeding to lower himself on all fours, rag in hand, as he cleaned their laminate floor. He made sure to unnecessarily wiggle his back as much as possible, but after an indifferent glance was all that he got, Levi retorted to being excessively annoying, as he dusted the desk in front of the arm chair Erwin was sitting on, blocking the TV and making the blond sneeze repeatedly. When he finished, he sat down  and ended up just plain staring at his boyfriend for an extended time, trying to grab at least a smidgen of his attention.

It was all to no avail, as he was forced finally to just accept the torment of the cold treatment, and find solace in talking to another blond person, that was thankfully not ignoring him.

 _[To Krista]: If you were not here, typing with me back and forth, I might've just actually believed that I died sometime during the day and morphed into a fucking ghost._ Levi thought with no intent of humor. _Although, ghosts can interact with inanimate objects...So who knows, maybe I did..._

"I'm going to ask you a question Levi." He was snapped out of his speculations by an austere voice, and a thud of book pages snapping together.

"Oh, thank fuck! _I think I really started losing my mind here a little, in the past hour..._ Please do?" Levi spoke, voicing only half of the things he wanted to say.

That was how the communication always went down, between his brain and his tongue, and was the precise reason why, he wasn't a stranger to spending endless hours in comfortable silence. Although not good with words, Levi never failed to express his inner world in physical ways, speaking with touches and facial expressions, and conveying his affection by the closeness of his own body to someone else's.

Erwin knew how to use that perfectly, for or against Levi when it was necessary. He was aware that not speaking to each other all day, would not prove to be exactly a big challenge for the raven, but the lack of bodily contact is where the severity of this punishment lay, as he watched his boyfriend grew more and more frustrated and angry, as time passed. Far beyond any sexual connotation , Levi soaked up wordless attention, and he was as much as keen on giving, as he was receiving it. It was a way for him to get the reassurance, that he was loved and cared for, and even more so, that he had someone in his life to take care of, too. Unfortunately, sometimes words were necessary for one to be sure that, they gauged the other's feelings correctly.

Levi knew this fact was true, and he was secretly happy that, at least one of them had the communication science on lock. The blond was always the one with a clear mind that, perfectly translated into the gentle, but determined voice, that made every decision they made together so far, from starting their relationship, sharing a living space, to later sharing their intimacy with others, a little bit easier. The tall blond annoyingly believed in the importance of straightforward, honest communication. Levi was also painfully aware of what Erwin was doing to him right now, and despite internally fighting against it, the bastard had him right where he wanted him. He was ready to talk just about anything at the moment, as long as it meant, he would have Erwin's mild blue eyes on his own.

"Tell me Levi...how do you feel about Eren? And please, be honest with me. Be...honest with yourself." Erwin spoke calmly, his gaze scanning Levi like a radar, searching for any signs that would give away  his emotional state.

Levi tried his best, but his thoughts were always knotted in a jumble, and that's how they would eventually get transformed into something audible. Just a whirlwind, catching every other word he meant to say, coming out in pieces from his mouth.  He breathed in.

"I think he's...I think, I never met a more easily teasable person in my entire life." It was not the best answer so start with. It was honest though.

Erwin chuckled deeply, "Yeah, that's more of a fact than an expression of how you feel, but yes I concur. He's very...playable with." The blond raised an eyebrow, as he looked to the side, before returning his attention to Levi, "But that's not all now, isn't it?"

No it wasn't. Levi thought about it the whole day, as he was left to his own devices. Yes, the brat definitely sparked tiny flames all over his nerve endings, and it made Levi feel sensations and evoke thoughts, that he didn't know where to place exactly. But the more he thought about the kid, and his ability to look cute, even when he was making a complete fool out of himself, and the absolutely, ridiculously pretty green eyes, the more his mind wandered away to places where he was looking at them up close, holding Eren's gaze, by having a fist in his constantly messy hair.

"I need you to tell me, what exactly are you thinking...Just about right now." Erwin inquired, the corner of his mouth tugging into a smile. He was in fact, an expert in seeing through the crinkles around his lovers eyes, a specialist in reading the twitch of his lips and he had a pretty good idea about what was going on in the raven's mind, but Erwin needed him to say it.

Levi met him with a confused expression, as he was startled out of his thoughts. He had never gotten used to the blond's weird, voodoo like mind reading abilities. He hesitated for a second before speaking up, "You want to know what I think? Well you better be ready..." He said, as he started to detail, probably unnecessarily explicitly, all of the things that were lately occupying his mind. He knew he would not be allowed to leave this sofa until he told Erwin everything, so he might as well go all out on it.

Minutes passed, before Levi finished.

"So tell me Erwin, how does one go about living his entire life as a sub, only to wake up one day to thoughts like this?" His voiced seeped irony, but he had to admit to himself that, the question was something he genuinely wanted an answer too.

Erwin sat in silence for a brief moment, trying to recover from the images that Levi had just put in his head. It took a lot to throw him off, but his lover's filthy imagination had always managed to be full of surprises. He just loved every single bit of it.

"Oh Levi...It happens all the time." He smiled noticing the raven's serious eyes. "Humans are way too complex to be constantly confined within a single label, don't you think?"

"That's not really true for _you_ though, is it...." Levi said, nodding once towards the taller man. He could not imagine Erwin, ever switching out of his dominant role.

The blond snickered softly, "Maybe, yeah...But consider just what exactly defines being a dom."

Gray eyes looked at the floor and then to the man on the chair, not actually thinking about what was just said. He was sure Erwin would enlighten him about the answer, at any moment now.

"Nothing, Levi...Nothing." The response came, spoken a bit too dramatically. It made Levi suppress a smile.

The man continued. "There are as many definitions of being a dom, as there are people who identify as one. And even within a single person, their style can change, as they grow up and mature....Basically what I'm saying is that, none of human behavior is set in stone." Erwin stopped for a moment to adjust his glasses, as he leaned back into the arm chair. "Besides, I have always had a hunch you would make a great dom. I even tried to hint at it many times, but you were completely oblivious to it. I mean, one of the reasons I suggested we play with others in the first place, was in hopes of you discovering that side of yourself. But you never looked at anyone that way...Not like you..."

"Not like I look at Eren..." Levi interjected, eyebrows knitted together, as his ever so insightful boyfriend finished his monologue. He could mock him all he wanted, but Erwin never failed to hit the nail on the head, when it came to perceiving how other people feel. He also never missed to, provide perfectly worded reassurance for those feelings.

"Tch....So you're saying I'm a switch?" The shorter man on the sofa said, as he looked up.

"I am not saying anything. That is precisely the entire point of this. What do _you_ think Levi? How do _you_ feel about it? I never brought this up before, because I didn't want it to be my idea. I kept my mouth shut, wondering when will the light bulb inevitably blink up over your head. I guess it took a cute, dreamy-eyed brunet for you to finally notice your tendencies." Erwin chuckled.

The raven just stared in front of himself, "So... If this turns out to be a thing..." Levi lifted his head a bit, to meet his boyfriends gaze. "Wouldn't that be a turn off for you?" Levi inquired, his face softening and giving away his feeling of concern.

"Is that what you worry about?" The man on the right asked, as he gently touched his lovers chin with his fingers. It was the first contact they made since yesterday night, and he felt the way Levi immediately rested the weight of his head in it. They should not be touching if they intended to finish this conversation. He slowly retracted his hand, as Levi started to speak.

"Well yes, that and also how I might dislocate a brats shoulder, cause I don't know how to fucking tie up anyone, for example." The raven blurted out sharply, obviously trying to shake of the effect, that such a stupidly simple gesture had on him.

The tall man snickered, "Let's leave that for, when we find out, if the kid is into that kind of a thing at all...If we ever get a chance to find out, that is..."

Both man took a moment of silence, thinking about how, after everything that went down lately, there was a fair possibility, Eren would not wish to have anything with them, at all, before Erwin broke through the quietness again.

"Levi...You know that the single most pleasurable thing for me is, seeing your face happy or writhing from ecstasy. If that means you are going to share the dominant space with me, or stay a sub forever, or decide to take up knitting, I wouldn't care. I say yes to fucking all of it. Even..." Blue eyes shadowed up softly, "Even if you decided you liked it too much and didn't want to be a sub...my sub anymore, I wouldn't stop you or stand in your way, as long as you were content."

"You know that's literally never happening right? Erwin?" Levi looked up, laughing into sky colored eyes, not being able to imagine ever being without them. It dawned on him that he was not the only one harboring grey thoughts, though. "I'm just feeling sort of unsure about it, you know, if I'm even cut out to be a dom..." He sighed out loudly. All this feel talk was hard for him, as thin eyebrows furrowed with annoyance, mostly at himself, for always thinking of emotions as a sign of weakness.

"Levi, the question is do you want that or not? Starting something you have never tried before is bound to come with insecurity. And I know I don't have to remind you about how this works. So far we've managed to agree, we like the kid...Quite a bit I think...But if you are still not up to trying some of it, or all of it, than you know you can have the last word in this."

"I want to give it a shot at least." Levi said quickly. "I might need some time and definitely some coaching but yes, let's see where all this can take us." He finished saying, as he felt a roll of rocks tumble down his back. _Yes, this sounds right._

 

"Am I really such an asshole to the kid?" Levi asked after one quiet second.

"You're absolutely horrendous..." The answer came with a succession of small chuckles.

 _Well let's hope he doesn't hate us by now._ Levi thought pressing his lips in a line.

 

"Speaking of your behavior..." the blond man's eyes darkened, as his tone of voice tuned into a frequency, that sounded like filthy promises.

Levi raised an eyebrow inquisitively, and was met with a lustful gaze of the other man. It made his own body shudder from head to toe, as the pads on his fingertips lit up, with the suppressed need to leave their imprints all over a certain muscled body.

"...Are you ready to apologize for not using your mouth in a way that is supposed to be used?"

"Yes." _God, yes!_ Levi said, trying to mask the true extent of his excitement.

"That is no way to answer my question Levi..." the other voice grumbled.

"Yes sir! I had not been using it enough, sir..." Porcelain fingers where digging into the soft sofa cushions, as a nimble body made its way over it, on all fours, eyes set on a tall man in the armchair on the right.

"And how do you plan to redeem yourself,  kitten?" Erwin teased, sensing Levi's train of thoughts,  as he decided he liked the direction it was going.

The same was true for the raven, who instantly knew, exactly what was expected of him, the blond never having to voice out the command. Yes, words sometimes came difficult to him, doubts and caution keeping them locked away inside his mind, but their wordless communication was always above it all. They saw each other's ideations crystal clear, through blue and silver eyes.

 _Mmmhmm..._ Levi hummed softly, not being able to hold in the sounds, as he kneeled on the ground, between the legs of the sitting man, nose drawing lines up and down his clothed erection. The gentle scent of arousal, mixed in with the fresh essence of someone who just showered, made him completely spellbound. He propped himself up on his knees, grabbing the hem of gray sweatpants between his teeth, as he tugged them carefully down, until gravity took over for him. Gray pupils doubled in size, behind a half-lidded gaze, at the sight of a naked cock springing free, no underwear holding back its light sway. _The bastard planned this entire shit didn't he?_   Levi thought, as he heard a gentle chuckle from above, clearly meant as an answer to his question. He felt a palm, sliding tenderly down the back of his head, but before Levi could enjoy the sensation of finally being touched again, he was yanked harshly backwards by the fist in his hair, making his eyes fly up to meet blue ones, just in time to catch the evil glint that ran across them.

"I have work this evening, you know that don't you?" Erwin's voice was quiet, but dangerous, as he leaned down to hover over the raven's face.  "So I suggest you quit the staring and show me just how well can you use that mouth of yours." He dragged his lips slowly over Levi's bottom one, before biting into the soft flesh.

 _Ah..._ Levi voiced out, what Erwin was thinking.

"You don't want to take too long and have me leave, without taking care of that pretty bulge you got, now do you?" The blond continued to speak, as the fire from his eyes seeped through his tongue. It was every bit successful in burning through Levi's skin, igniting his body into action.

With eyes glued to blue ones, Levi's fingers wrapped around the arousal in front of him, attaching his lips to the underside, with his tongue poking through, as he tasted the entire length of it. Slowly reaching the top, he took a deep, shuddery breath in, before running his tongue over the slit, tasting the liquid gathering over it, as he watched Erwin's eyelids lazily meet each other, face contorted with pleasure. He repeated the motion over and over, as his brain melted in the small huffs of air coming from the other man, each time he flicked his tongue. "That's enough Levi.." he heard a strong voice demand, "Hands behind your back," another command came, before the palm, still gripping onto the back of his hair, forced his mouth over the entire length of the blonds cock, the raven's nose burying itself in the soft fuzz on the man's crotch.

Firmly holding Levi's head in place, the blond man started moving his hips, lazily at first, as if savoring the sensation of the hot, wet flesh around him. He would pull out teasingly slow, sliding his cock between a circle of red, puckered lips and going out past them completely, until the only thing connecting the two man was a glistening string of saliva, slowly dripping down on the carpet.   _Ahhhhh..._ the view from above was mouth-watering, and Erwin was ready to destroy the lovely face beneath him. He squeezed his hands in charcoal locks, fingers turning white from the force of the grip, as he pushed his cock into the pretty, tight throat. His lovers porcelain skin was drowning in a rosy flush, as the pace of the in and out movements gradually quickened, not giving any time for the raven to collect a proper gasp of air.

Levi melted into the daze, jaw hanging open as he took what he was given, tears gathering on both corners of  his eyes. He pressed his eyelids together, in an attempt to push away the tiny droplets, but his effort was cut short by the tall man's heavy voice "Do not close your eyes Levi. Look at me."

There was nothing that could render Erwin more undone, nothing more erotic and nothing closer to absolute perfection than the clear, dewy, silver eyes looking up at him right now. He wanted to completely wreck the beautiful man, and kiss at his soft skin in the most tender ways, at the same time, and as the two thoughts mixed in his mind, a timid moan trembling around and over his cock sent him flying over the edge.

As the last bits of arousal pulsated in Levi's mouth, he reveled in the awareness of kowing he was capable of pleasing his lover so well, beads of sweat rolling down from his forehead, as the witnesses to his effort.

A few seconds later, Erwin eased up his grip, letting go of his boyfriends head, as he smiled at the few dark hairs that stayed tangled around his fingers. He sank down to sit in front of the raven on the floor, squeezing himself between him and the chair, as he ran his fingers gently over his lovers face, massaging his tight and most likely aching jaw.

"You are so good to me, you know that? You did so good kitten." He cooed at the beautiful man. "I want to make you feel just as good, do you want that?"

Silver eyes lit up, quickly coming out of their haze, as the raven nodded his head vigorously.

"Come here." The blonde said, in a hipnotizingly soothing voice, as he picked up the slightly shivering body next to him and laid it gently on the sofa.

Strong hands ran down his happy trail, and Levi's brain flew up into the clouds again, where it stayed, idly floating in overwhelming sensations for the next half an hour.

 

********

Eren took a sharp right on a familiar corner, pondering how a sight of a stupidly flickering sign, with a wooden door beneath it, can cause someone so much anxiety. He slowly walked down the narrow alleyway, as he felt his entire being shrinking with it.

Reaching the entrance, he couldn't help but laugh softly at the memory, of how this wasn't entirely true for the first night he was here. His alcohol fueled sprouts of confidence, made him barge in through this door like he owned the place. _Where was that Eren now?_ He mockingly reprimanded himself, as his palm hesitantly grabbed at the handle. _Oh that's right, he never existed in the first place._

Chocolate tresses shook lightly, as he took in a deep breath and entered the building, not knowing, what kind of a new turmoil, will he walk out with, from this place again. Hopefully, he will at least solve a few old ones first, though.

Closing the door behind him, he was surprised to see no one was guarding the entrance to the club. He realized this was the first time he was here on _members only_ night and the knot in his stomach tightened even more, making him accelerate his breath, in favor of making it shorter.

He walked past the unguarded door, and took the short distance through a dark hallway leading him to the final entrance. _Hm, no adorable blondes waving at him either._

A sign on the wall, that wasn't there on the nights before, told him to swipe his card to get in, which he did, but not before getting it wrong twice, and sending his body into a fumbling state of light panic.

 _Gather your shit Eren, just_... He breathed in sharply, as he sealed his eyes for a few seconds... _Gather it._

A sight of people assembled on the dance floor, in the middle of the room, greeted Eren upon entering, familiar thumping music filling his ears. He almost managed to catch a sigh of relief, for seeing nothing new, before his eyes flew up to the stage. Instead of the Dj pult and the brunette, playing on the shiny equipment behind it, an utterly different play was taking place.

A tall and tan, and from what Eren could observe, completely naked woman, wearing only bronze shoulder armor, was kneeling on all fours in the front-center of the stage. Facing towards Eren, an unevenly cut brown hair was falling over the woman's eyes, as her head bowed down, still not being long enough to obscure the small freckles on the brunettes cheekbones, smudged red lipstick mixing with them, all over her flushed face.

If that sight only, wasn't taking Eren's breath away, crossed snow-white legs, snuggled into ivory heels, belonging to a person facing the crowd, as she casually sat on the brunettes back, sure was.  The angelic looking figure was wearing a loose, white, lace-woven dress that didn't leave anything to the imagination.

Eren gulped, as his eye caught a silver crown, tucked into long blond hair curling at the ends. It reached down far enough to tickle the back of the woman currently acting as, what Eren could only assume was a human throne, for the queen to sit on. She was holding a small teacup in her left hand, effortlessly smiling at people coming up to her from the dance floor. Some of them bowed as they approached, others went as far as to kiss her free hand, and after exchanging a few words the person would leave, giving room to the next one.

Eren stood staring, for a few very long minutes, before he let his curiosity win the case against his bashfulness. He decided to forget the reason he was here, just for a moment, as he saw his chance to approach the two stunning women.

"Um...Hi!" He said awkwardly, celestial blue eyes making him avert his own immediately.

Eren was gay, there were never any doubts about it, still the scene he was currently staring at, made him blush furiously. He was pretty sure it would make a dead man blush too.

"I think you mean Hello, your Majesty..." The girl said cheerfully, wide smile making her squint her eyes slightly.

"I'm...sorry..uhm..Greetings your Majesty," Eren said with an overdramatic tone, making the two women chuckle, as he bowed down in front of them.

"I see you are new here. Welcome to our kingdom...?"

"...Eren. the boy smiled at the blonde, before his eyes questioningly shifted to the brunette on the floor, his confused expressions clearly asking for any sort of explanation, as to what in the hell was going on.

"Nice to meet you Eren! I'm Queen Historia and this puppy here is my brave warrior Ymir. Usually she is a text-book example of loyalty, but some of her recent rowdy behavior needed to be contained and corrected. Isn't that true, soldier? " The queen said, tone turning firm, "Now, don't be rude and greet our guest..."A tiny slap of a whip that was previously attached to the waist of the blondes enchantingly sculpted body, echoed over the brunettes behind.

"H...hi," she said with a wince, as her body got slightly thrown off of balance,  from the effects of the hit.

"Oh..." The blonde giggled, as her entire body swayed a bit, from the brunettes sudden jerk, "That was close Ymir! You'll need to be more careful... We don't want to spill this tea don't we?"

Eren's mind went to devious places, as he imagined all the possible consequences of Ymir shifting to much and spilling the queen's tea, when the beautiful blonde turned her attention to him again, "So have you found someone to play with yet in our little kingdom?" She asked cheerfully.

Oh right, that was the reason he was here."Um..I am not sure, but I am kind of hoping to approach that subject tonight, actually..." He said, the anxiety grasping slowly at his lungs again.

"You better get going then already..." A strained voice spoke up from bellow the blonde, before the whooshing of a whip reverberated through the air again..

"Always so rude...I have no doubts you will succeed in your intentions Eren!" Saintly blue eyes winked, before Eren walked away, loving the twisted universe that was club Titan more and more.

 

"Erwin is in the back..." A monotone voice sounded out, as the boy approached the bar. He was just about to open his mouth to ask about the tall man. "Uhm...how did you kno..."

"Oh, just a wiiild guess...", dog-man snickered, dragging out the _i_ sound, making sure it emphasized his sarcasm.

_Right. The storage room._

Eren thought uncomfortably, as he made his way, past the bar and through the passage, until he reached the end of the hallway with an open door on the right. He stood awkwardly in the doorway, using the time to capture mental photos of the scene inside, before his presence would get noticed.

Mild azure eyes, with frameless glasses, slowly drifting down a long nose, sharpening at the end, were enveloped in a laptop screen, thick fingers typing out letters in a quick succession. It was placed on the man's lap, as he sat on the only chair in the room, and Eren realized this was the first time he actually saw the his entire face, completely un-obscured by a mask, or another face buried in it for that matter,. He reveled in the sight of a strong chin, lower thicker lip pleasantly harmonizing with the smaller upper one. The casual light jeans and a navy colored, V- neck sweater were a welcome contrast to the blonds usual celebrity-style outfits.

 _Huh_...Eren let out a silent sigh. Was he supposed to make, any sort of move on..this?

Just as his thoughts started to kill the smallest remnants of confidence he still had, blue eyes shifted from the glowing screen to the boy at the door, thick eyebrows jumping up slightly, startled by his presence.

"Eren...I didn't expect to see you here tonight..." The voice came out a little ragged, the blond man clearly surprised by the vividly emerald eyes, staring at him.

"Yeah...let's just say it's a small miracle that I even made it in here..." The brunet said with a tiny half-smile. "Are you busy right now? I can come back..."

Erwin raised an eyebrow "Got distracted on the way?", before suddenly composing his expressions back to a more serious one. _Stop teasing the kid Erwin. Just be normal for goodness sake._ The blond man scolded himself internally, noticing he managed to make the boy uneasy, yet again. He sighed, as he quickly added, "No not at all, I am just doing some inventory stuff, as Hanji is busy with other things, all week. Actually I'm really glad you made it, as I wanted to apologize...For my behavior, as well as Levi's." He closed the laptop and stood up, the machine taking his place on the chair. "As sort of veterans of the club, we should've made you feel welcome, and be here for you, while you figure out whatever it is that you are looking for, by coming here. Instead, I'm afraid we only made you uncomfortable...on many occasions, and I sincerely apologize for that. I hope you can see past us, not thinking with our appropriate heads, and we can start this getting-to-know-each-other story, all over again and properly this time."

Eren snickered at the man's inappropriate remark, that he seemingly hadn't even noticed he said. _Yeah,_ the boy thought, getting to know them better sounded nice. He fought the urge to roll his eyes at himself, as he realized just how quickly, the remainder of yesterdays anger had dissipated, under the man's gentle voice.

"You really did put me on the spot there, last night..." Eren was remembering the happenings from not so long ago, trying to regain a bit of the annoyance he felt, but his voice still came out timid and calm. He didn't really mind all the teasing they had put him through, as the attention he got from the two men, was like a burning match, thrown into his barely tingling confidence. The thing that would put out that fire every time though, was the fact that the brunet wasn't exactly sure about the meaning of it.

"Yes, and I am sorry for that, too. I should've known better, not to poke my nose into subjects that were not mine to poke at." _I've never learned that lesson though, did I?_ Erwin thought with a small smile. He knew his need, to always see everyone's cards on the table, would sometimes get a bit out of hand, but he always did it with the best intentions and with everyone's interests in mind. Buried emotions were not a good friend to anyone, although he was ready to admit that sometimes, he should've given people more time to dig them out by themselves. "I just got a bit impatient I guess...All three of us were dancing around each other for weeks now, and it was necessary for someone to say something. " The blond locked his eyes on green ones, curiously waiting for Eren's reactions to his words.

"So, what you're saying is...we are, uhm...All definitely, interested in each other...right?" The brunet said with a shy smile fighting its way over his mouth."Are you sure Levi doesn't just plain hates me?" He added half-jokingly, trying to ease down his own tension.

Erwin laughed with his entire heart. It seemed like, today was be the day, he would have talk some sense into two oblivious heads. All in the matter of a few hours.

"Levi doesn't hate you Eren...." The tall man stepped closer, putting a palm on the shoulder of an equally lengthy brunet. "Quite the opposite actually..." He winked, before stepping back. "Look ki...Eren...I hate to think, the past few weeks may have made you think, that we are just playing some games with you. Although _it is_ incredibly amusing to watch you blush..." He smiled at the boy before continuing, "Levi is just...Not the best communicator. I could easily say he is re-discovering himself...Much like you are too, now. If you feel like he has been sending you mixed signals, then that's the reason why. Also, he generally _is_ just an incredibly difficult person..." He finished with the same pleasant laugh he begun with.

"Yeah..." Eren joined in with a chuckle, as his mind processed all the information he had just heard. So the feelings he had about Levi proved to be, not so un-attainable after all. _Interesting._

"Anyway...What do you say we all enjoy, a long-overdue coffee-get-together tomorrow hm? We have plenty of things to discuss."

The brunet almost didn't realize the blond man was talking, deeply lost in his own thoughts."Um, yes...That's sounds nice! I actually hadn't had the proper chance to delve into Sina yet...So you could maybe show me around?"

"Oh, that's right you're not from around here, are you...That sounds perfect to me!" Erwin said, cheerful as ever.

"Well, ok then. See you, I guess..." Eren started to clumsily pull back from the room, ready to be alone to process everything that just happened, but he was stopped by a teasing voice, before he could turn his back to leave.

"Eren...you might want to give me your number, so I have means of contacting you about tomorrow?" A half-smile tugged on the man's lips, as they seemed to never get tired of grinning, at the cute boys tinted cheeks.

"Oh, right..." Eren smiled, internally applauding to his awkwardness.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For some reason I seem to perceive the Erwin/Levi dynamic as super-romantic, so again I hope it didn't turn out too cheesy.
> 
> **********  
> Thank you so much for reading!  
> If you have a little time I would love to hear some feedback about how I'm doing so far?  
> You can leave kudos if you liked it (it's like giving me a pat on the back ❁)
> 
> Send me ideas, requests, or just talk to me at [My tumblr ](https://aanerd.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Hope you continue to enjoy the fic ^^


	8. Count To Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Rhye - Count To Five](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/170433087918/rhye-count-to-five-music-video)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another ridiculously long chapter, that I definitely did not have the time to write. So forgive me if there are more mistakes in it than usual, cause I am presetting it to you very unedited. Hope you enjoy reading it and have a great weekend everyone!

_Mmmm..._

A soft hum resonated through a dimly lit room. It repeated like a wave, and was occasionally intersected with sharp intakes of air, as they mixed in with a rattle of glass bottles and scraping sounds of  plastic against wood, the contents of the shelf prodding uncomfortably, into Eren's back. There was a heavy force pushing him against it, but he barely even regarded the unpleasant feeling, his entire concentration consumed by the warmth, coming from his lower abdomen, as pleasure spread like a virus through his body. The sensation intensified, every time he was mercilessly pushed back against the wooden framework, loud clinking decorating his increasingly higher pitched moans.

"Hold on. We don't want him to be uncomfortable..." He heard a deep voice exclaim, as the movements stopped. Two figures were standing in front of him, the one with distinctly black hair being closer to him, as he framed Eren's face with his forearms, while breathing, heavy, needy breaths into his ear, the other one standing a bit further away, towering over both of them, his strong hands passing by the smaller mans waist, and pushing onto Eren's hips, keeping him in place, while he desperately squirmed under their control.

The uncomfortable back rest morphed into a radiating heat of someone else's skin, that was now tightly clasped to the brunet's behind. The pressure from his hips shifted to his wrists, his arms flying up,  Eren realizing he was unable to move them, as they were tightly held above his head.

Gradually the motions resumed, becoming harsher and more urgent, swaying all three of their bodies back and forth repeatedly, and Eren would've moaned loudly at the change of pace, if his mouth wasn't filled with large fingers muffling his screams, roughly stretching his mouth at the right corner. He felt the pull on his hands loosen just slightly, as a blond hair emerged between Eren's head and bicep, soft lips wetting his neck, before two lines of teeth dispatched a sharp pain through his nervous system, making his muscles shake, as the impulse reached his brain.

He tried to take a deep breath in, but the air around him was to warm, his mouth full, and the room felt like it hadn't had enough oxygen to fill his lungs, as he grasped for air with every new attempt to breathe, the overwhelming pleasure elevating his heart rate.

_Haaaah..._

A strong twitch of muscles, made his eyes fly open, as he tried to suck in some warm air again. It was dark, and he felt a soft fabric shifting over the skin of his nose and forehead, as he realized his head was deep under the covers, restricting his air supply. Almost with the sense of panic, he yanked the bed cover away from his face, as he lay still for a few moments, soaking in the fresh air, now coming through his nostrils, cooling him and calming his ragged breathing.

The memory of his dream however, was gradually coming back in flashes, and the butterflies in his stomach started to run their race again, as the brunet kicked off the covers, and ran equally fast to the bathroom, savoring the fact that he was still able to very vividly feel the hands, and the fingertips on his skin...and the teeth...

_Ahhh....Levi...Erwin...please, let me...uh_

Eren cried out, as strings of white quickly covered his palm, head floating way above the building he was in. He had to make a conscious effort to grab onto the sink, not to let his knees collapse from the intensity of his orgasm.

_Holy...shit..._

Eren tried to catch up to his own breathing, as he slowly made his way into the shower.

_They weren't even here and they...._

Eren shook his head, before letting out a small laughter, splashing away the water, running over his face. _I am so far gone..._

 

An hour later, friendly eyes were focusing on him from the other side of the sofa, as the faint light, coming in from the early Sunday sunshine, ran through their room, a white sheen bouncing back, wherever it hit a reflective surface. Eren watched the flickering through a thin wall of steam, floating up from his coffee mug, fingers fidgeting with the red ceramic handle.

"Sooo...you have a date today?" Armin said, more as a way of teasing then an actual question, his eyebrows jumping up and down a few times.

"I do..." The brunet laughed, a slight nervousness gripping at his shoulders.

"It's been years...No, centuries since you went on a date with someone!" The blond dragged out the words, adding to the sense of exaggeration. "If I had a dollar for every time you rolled your eyes at the poor souls trying to approach you, and calling them _boring_ , we would not live in such a small apartment right now, " He giggled into his coffee cup. "I can see now why...This...This is certainly not a dull scenario." Armin continued his teasing, even though he was genuinely happy for his friend, finally having some positive feelings occupying his mind. "They better be nice and respectful to you. And you better be smart about it!" He quickly added in a more serious tone, hoping those positive feelings would not have to turn into a heartbreak.

Eren snickered at Armin's "threatening" tone. Considering the fact that, all the metaphorical cats were now out of the bag and running wild, he kept growing more and more eager to move onto actions, instead of conveying things only in words.

 _But timid dates and talking first. Yes, definitely...talking first._ Eren's mind was getting ready to drift away, the memory of his dream still very much fresh, but he was pulled back to the present, as Armin spoke again.

"Actually I kind of have a small confession to make, too." Armin averted his eyes for a moment before a small smile fought its way onto his lips. "I went to Trost last night when you left. After the week I had, I needed a drink or two...Or three, and since Hanji was merciful enough to not call me in on a Saturday, I decided to just chill out at the bar for a while."

Eren tired to not wince at the name, "You could've told me you wanted to go out! I would have went with you..." He protested, feeling a tad guilty for having his friend sit at a bar alone.

"Nuh-uh...You had a whole internal whirlwind of your own to deal with...Besides...I had quite the charming company in a form of a short haired, pretty-eyed blond." Armin admitted with a blush eating up his face, all up to his ears.

"Oh?" The brunet smiled, cocking his head slightly to the side.

"Yeah, she approached me..."

 _Surprise, surprise,_ Eren thought.

"...And we talked, and had a few drinks and well...Almost an entire hour passed before I realized I know her from somewhere..." Armin's eyes were not reflecting the excitement of someone who just met an interesting and potentially dateable person. "Remember the cute girl, we...Um, you, talked to that night we went to club Titan? The one selling all the crazy masks..?"

"Oh..." Eren now understood why.

"Yep." The blond's lips formed a thin line.

"Don't tell me you're also thinking...?!" Green eyes widened to three times their size, as the brunet lowered his mug slowly, onto the small table in front of the sofa.

"No! Gosh no...I don't think I could _ever_ get into that...Not even for such a cool person as her...She's called Petra by the way..." Armin shrugged a bit sadly, before looking up and biting his lower lip, clearly indicating the story was not over.

"Ok, sooo? What happened next?" Eren took back the coffee into his hands, and leaned back onto the sofa.

"Well, you know...She asked me about it, and I told her how things were...That I only ended up in club Titan thanks to you, and not by my own free will..." Armin giggled, before continuing.

 

_"Such a shame...It could've been great..." A silky voice, of a chin-length haired blond, expressed its disappointment, as she leaned with her back on the bar, one arm resting on it with her elbow, the other, holding a colorful drink in a martini glass._

_Armin just sighed out instead of a response, and a few seconds passed before he spoke again, "So, this is it then?"_

_"No! Come on..." The pretty girl laughed sweetly, "Just because a hook up is off the tables, that doesn't mean we can't at least hang out, you know? I mean if that's something you'd be ok with?"_

"And then we bonded more, talking about the complete distaste you guys have when it comes to music..." Armin snickered  for a bit, before turning silent. "And then she kissed me..." He said suddenly.

 _Oh dear,_ Eren thought, watching as his friend's shoulders flew up, trying to hide his blush.

"...And we kind of, sort of, have a date next weekend." The blond added.

"Well, maybe you can, uh...Figure something out right? I mean the word "compromise" exist for a reason..." The brunet tried to offer some encouragement. All in all, who was he to immediately pronounce their relationship doomed. He just barely poked his nose into non-vanilla territory, so he should not go jumping to conclusions, like he was an expert in such dynamics.

"I hope you're right..." Armin looked up at his friend.

They sat, smiling compassionately at each other, trying to envision the vexation the other one was going through, as the ever increasing noises from the outside were signaling the passage of time.

"Speaking of dates, shouldn't you be getting ready?" The blond was the first one to speak again.

Eyes swiftly shifting to his phone, pyjama-clad legs straightened, as Eren jumped up and sprinted out of the kitchen.

*******

Heavy traffic was attacking his ears, as Eren stood in front of club Trost, noting the clock switching to 12:53 p.m.  The light-gray building looked kind of cold, without all the colorful lights beaming at it, as he observed the scenery around him from a new perspective. It was almost alarming how much he stayed cooped up in his apartment, during normal daytime hours, never having any business outside, as the rest of the world did. This...was a nice change.

He stared at the message on his phone, mentally confirming he had the right time and place for their meeting. The thought of what was about to take place, caused his nerves to dance all over his body.

 _Hey brat, meet us in front of Trost, 1 p.m. yeah?_ Eren imagined the voice saying the line. He didn't have to grind a single gear, before saving the unknown number under Levi, as he was the only person, capable of such absolute indifference.

 _It really wouldn't make the crown fall off of your head, if you were just a little nicer, you know?_ Eren thought, knitting his brows at his phone in annoyance, before he was startled by a crude voice.

"What are you frowning at already? We didn't even get a chance to disappoint you yet..." He heard that exact indifferent tone. Only this time, it was in flesh.

Green eyes shifted towards the direction of the sound, and he scanned the two appearances behind him, from head to toe. His lips trembled, in an effort to hold back a curse.

 _Gahhh...._ Eren's mind voiced its frustration. They were both laughably perfect as always.

With hands in his pockets, the shorter man was effortlessly standing there, oxford-blue, broadcloth jacket unbuttoned, the upper part of it cut in a circle, with no collar, granting a perfect view of his beautifully shaped neck muscles. Seeing them move in a swallowing motion, made Eren mimic the movement, as he audibly gulped. The jacket reached down to, a little above his knees, falling over dark, velvet-leather looking pants, that were tight enough for the brunet to start forming images about, what was underneath them. And as if Levi needed anything more to look cool, the steampunk-style shades covering his eyes, and hair casually tossed to one side, got Eren worried about a possible, soon-to-happen heart attack.

The fact that perfection in this case came in a pair, was not helping Eren's heartache, as he took in the high collar, very soft looking, gray sweater, the other mans muscular body was snuggled in, sage colored coat, casually hooked over his vast shoulders, making them look even stronger. Simple light jeans covered his legs, and Eren concluded he definitely enjoys this easygoing, let's-go-for-a-relaxing-walk-in-the-park Erwin a bit more, than the one he was used to seeing in the club.

"If we want to spend time staring at each other, we should've picked a less crowded environment at least..."  Levi coaxed green eyes back into focus.

Erwin chuckled softly, "This way." He swayed his right arm slightly upward, signaling the direction, as they all started moving," We thought about, taking you on a stroll down the main street of Sina. It ends with a park, that tends to be very pleasant looking this time of the year. There is also a cafe there, that we could take a coffee break at, and have a chat." Curious blue eyes towards shifted towatds the small rectangular bag, Eren had hooked around his body, and Erwin smiled with a realization, "Is recording a hobby of yours?"

Eren looked at him, getting confused for a second, before he caught onto where the question was coming from, "Um, yeah...I mean, no...I would say it's more like a job. I'm a video editor mostly, but I have this plan of gradually moving away from that, and go into selling videos." He clumsily answered, not wanting to bore them with too many details. He realized this was the first sentence he uttered, since they met today, not even regarding them with as much as a _Hi_ , when they showed up. "Um hello, by the way..." He wanted to  correct the mistake, instantly noting this just made everything more awkward.

"I was about to tease you over that..." Levi said in an even tone, head pointed forward, as they walked slowly through the colorful mix of buildings and people.

Erwin just smiled at the boy, before speaking again, "I assume then, you have been planning to film something today?" The mild upward curve of his lips, slowly tugged to one side, forming a smirk.

"Yes, actually I wanted to do this for quite some time now, you know uhm... Catch some autumn in the city vibes" Eren answered, scratching the back of his head shyly, revealing only the partial truth behind his recording intentions. He resolved himself earlier today, that he would brave the two men with a question of filming them, as a part of his first video set. He would ask them when the right moment arises...Maybe... "That is, if you don't mind me occasionally stopping to record stuff?" He added quickly, before taking a deep breath, intending to speak further. Nothing came out but air.

"Not at all." _On the contrary, I know a certain attention loving mind, that is probably already imagining the ways we could make use of your talent._ Erwin thought while exchanging discreet smiles with his dark-headed boyfriend. Eren just kept proving more and more fun.

"It's fine with me..." Levi added shortly, as he turned his head to look at the boy, lifting up his glasses and fixing them onto the top of his head.

Eren was positive, he was now visibly swooning. A question, made him peel his eyes away from Levi.

"Is that....A Star Trek reference?" The raven asked dryly, as Eren shifted his gaze to his own shirt.

"You...know Star Trek?" The brunet asked with a small smile, not ever expecting the "Highly Illogical" print on his shirt to serve as a possible common ground between him and Levi.

Instead of an answer, a loud laughter filled his ears, and he looked past the raven to catch an amused grin split Erwin's face in two.

"I would say that's an absolute understatement, if I ever heard one." The blond finally spoke, after freeing his last giggles.

"You make it sound like I'm obsessed with it or something..." Levi attempted to manufacture his usual indifferent tone, but his voice came out bearing more resemblance to a pouting child.

"Oh come on...We all have our means of distraction..." Erwin rolled his eyes at Levi's defensive attitude.

"I think it's...cute." Eren dared to comment. He quickly wished he didn't though, as he saw Levi fuming at the word.

"Look, I work with teenagers ok? Some of their shit just simply rubs off on me...It's nothing to make a big deal about..."

Two sighs escaped their respective mouths at the same time, silently noting that Levi was the only one making a big deal out of it. Blue and green smiled at each other before Eren happily shifted the subject.

"You work with teenagers?" He asked feeling intrigued by the idea.

The revelation of Levi's actual job left Eren almost speechless, as the raven started to talk about the care center he and a woman named Krista owned and managed. He listened to him explaining how they provide temporary placement for homeless kids, and do everything in their power to give them a chance for a better life.

"Yeah, you probably already met or seen some of them. Petra for example, the girl that sells the amazing masks at the clubs entrance?"

Eren's eyes widened in surprise, as the man continued.

"...I kept seeing her in this dodgy neighborhood, leaned on a wall, with a small stand filled with all these interesting things in front of her. She looked terribly malnourished, so I approached her and asked about the masks. When she told me she makes them all by hand, I've sent Krista the next day to try and talk her into coming to stay in our center for a while, and maybe try and sell some of her stuff inside of club Titan. Which proved to be a grand success." Levi chuckled, thinking about just how many stupid kinks of theirs, did they play out in one of Petra's masks. He knew it was true for many others in the club too. On the other hand Petra, was thrilled to take requests and do what she loved for living.

"Then there's Sasha and Connie...they are in charge of the music in the club...I cannot even start to describe you the place, that I dragged them out from...." The dark-haired man shook his head.

"I'm pretty sure he actually met Krista, as well", Erwin smirked. "Yeah, remember the blonde you most likely ran into, when you came to see me yesterday?"

Eren's cheeks went visibly crimson, as his shoulders flew up on their own, like he was trying to hide behind them, to shield himself from the discomfort. "Uh...Yeah. I remember."

In between stopping to film crowds of people hurriedly passing by, and catching curious angles created by tall buildings, built so close to each other, Eren learned more about each of them, including the fact that Erwin co-owned club Titan with Hanji. Time seemed to fly, as fast as the wind that the autumn had been subjecting them to for the past half an hour, as they stepped into a rising spiral of fallen leaves, being picked up and twirled in the air.

The ones that were still holding onto their respective branches, were slowly losing the battle against gravity, as they ended up falling down, creating an illusion of a light golden-yellow rain, concluding their journey on everyone's heads and shoulders. The orange notes in the late afternoon sunlight, just added to magic, as Eren kept stopping to film. The two men never expressed any annoyance with the brunets constant pauses in walking, and they watched him with amusement instead, how he took his time to look for the silliest details, before adjusting the camera and watching with wide eyes, as the scene got immortalized in front of him.

"Hey Eren, we'll go ahead and find some seats at this cafe yeah?" Silver eyes glimmered in the sunshine.

"I'll be there in a second!" The owner of equally glowing green ones yelled back, as he watched two dream like figures walk away, and take a seat at a table behind a small white, wooden fence surrounding a vintage-style coffee-shop.

Eren shifted his focus back to the camera display in front of him, only to find that the tiny bird, that was trotting through a small puddle of rainwater on the ground, was long gone by now. He laughed at the concentric circles forming on the surface, filling his screen, before he pressed the off button and carefully closed the viewfinder. _Well as far as shooting goes, this was a pretty unproductive day_ , the brunet concluded with a chuckle, as he realized he could barely find it in himself to care. _As for other things..._

Collecting the mini tripod from the ground, he started to unhurriedly make his way over to the cafe, his ears doing the ringing thing again, as he tried to keep his anxiety at bay. Considering how much time he spent imagining the things, these two men could do to him, it was absurd that just idea of potentially talking about it, made him want to jump out of his skin. How on Earth would he ever be able to handle the real thing?

Being just a few steps away from the fence, marking the garden area of the coffee shop, his eyes filled with a scene, that made the right corner of his mouth tug into a smile, as the puff of air leaving his nostrils signaled his frustration. The two men sat next to each other, Levi looking straight ahead, the fingers of his right hand holding the top of the teacup in front of him, as Erwin leaned his right elbow on the table, and his head on his palm, facing towards the raven. Eren had no idea what the blond was murmuring to the other man, but it made Levi smile, and it was not his usual ironic snicker, but instead, it was a grin that managed to soften even his sharpest facial features.

Eren lingered for a while, soaking in all of the details of both of their expressions, trying to cement as much as possible into his memory. But, maybe he didn't have to?

"Could you...Would you mind if I recorded you guys for a bit?" The words came out, almost as an impulse. Yes this was the _right_ opportunity.

Two set of eyebrows lifted up with intrigue.

Interpreting their looks as a call for a further explanation, he added quickly "I've been filming nature and shapeless crowds all day...And I thought, um...It would be great if I could add an actual human aspect to the set? If you think that's something you'd be ok with of course..."

"Um...what do you want us to do?" Levi asked, looking at the man next to him, before turning to Eren.

"Oh, you don't have to do anything specific, just be yourselves, you know, do what you were doing so far." _It was perfect,_ the brunet thought.

"You heard the kid Levi, let's be ourselves" Erwin's eyes gleamed in the autumn afternoon and Levi read them perfectly, as Eren walked away putting a short distance  between the camera and his subjects.

He adjusted it on the small tripod, and attached the entire contraption to the back of a nearby bench. The picture that filled the frame was an epitome of a intimate moment between lovers, their beautiful faces filling the viewfinder from the table up, slightly cutting of the tops of their heads. Eren didn't give a warning before he pressed record, the knowing looks they have been exchanging in the past few moments, being the sincerity the brunet was looking to capture.

He watched the scene mesmerized for a few moments, before he noticed the eyebrows above silver eyes, slightly knitting together and it seemed like there was the tinniest tensing of the man's jaw as well... _What was...?_

Eren looked up from the camera, and immediately felt a blush take over his body, all the way to his pinky toe. While Erwin's right hand was propped on the table bent at the elbow, his head leaning casually on it, the one further away seemed like it was just simply hanging by his side. It took no more than two seconds for Eren to catch up to curious fingers under the table, squeezing at, what was now a noticeable bulge belonging to the raven on the opposite chair. His eyes were glazed with strain to keep the small whines escaping his mouth, and Eren was starting to feel the same way. The two of them never averted their gazes from each other, as the brunet let the scene happen, completely forgetting about the camera that was still rolling.

This was too goo... _Much. Too much._

Eren snapped back to reality, realizing they were very much in public space, surrounded by other people. He grabbed his equipment and swiftly marched back towards their table. This month long foreplay he got himself into, was slowly starting to dance at the edge of his self control.

"Eren! Already managed to capture what you needed?" Erwin said cheerfully, like nothing was going on, as now both of his hands were placed on the table.

"Yeah, the footage was perfect. I just think, I would probably have more luck with, uploading it to a different kind of website." Eren was done with letting their little games, constantly turn his face into a red, neon ball. He had some wit and snarkiness to use against it, and although the clever responses wouldn't always come to him easily, when they did, he was quite proud of them.

Both men laughed fondly at the brunet's sudden sass, before Erwin turned to Levi, catching his boyfriends chin between his fingers, "Sorry love, better luck next time" He slightly tilted Levi's head up, before releasing it, and Eren could swear he heard a small whimper from the dark-haired man. Or maybe it was more like a hiss, as Levi's gaze turned back to his dangerous self again.

"You owe me one, brat..." Sharp, silver eyes bored into green ones, with the slightest of smirks.

Eren opened his mouth, as he was on the verge of asking _One what?_ But luckily, the cogs in his brain rolled faster than the words from his tongue, and he just shut his lips back, grabbing the menu from the table to hide his face.

A rather small, pale hand appeared on the top edge of it, and pulled the plasticized paper down, as its owner spoke, "Are you starting to get sick of us?" Levi said through a laugh, a much softer expression on his face.

"Yeah, a bit." Eren answered, not really meaning a word of it, as he smiled and put the menu down. They were definitely a handful, but he had an idea he would get less affected by their teasing, once all this suggestiveness converts into...well, some action.

 _This is not a good time to think about that Eren..._ "So how did you two met?" He asked abruptly, feeling the need to change the subject.

Levi laughed. "If this was your idea of moving on, to subjects that would make you feel less awkward, then you just made the worst possible choice"

Eren sighed, "Why am I not surprised?" Green eyes were determined to keep up his  unbotheredness.

Erwin joined Levi with small huff of laughter, before looking at Eren and starting to speak,

"Remember how the first time you showed up at club Titan, we were kind of hesitant to let you in?" He nodded sideways to the man next to him, "We commented on how you and you're friend weren't appropriately dressed, according to the club rules?"

Eren nodded, a bit confused.

"Well the truth is..." The man continued, "We don't usually enforce any dress codes, especially on members only nights. It seems absurd to force people into a stereotype, if they don't feel dressing like that right? Yet, on nights like the ones you showed up, where our little safe space gets open to the curious public, we always tend to establish this dress code rule, as a way of letting the new people blend in with the old crowds, so everyone feels safe and comfortable. This also prevents potential trouble makers from entering. And this is also where the masks come in, too"

 Eren wondered where was Erwin going with this, as he listened with curiosity.

"The two of us may seem immature at times, but we take everyone's safety in the club, very seriously, and although incidents are an extremely rare occurrence, occasionally they happen, which we became very aware of thanks to Mr. Temperamental over here, " bushy eyebrows raised at the raven next to him."Care to tell the story?"

"Fine..." Levi agreed. "Basically, I used to live with two roommates, years before I met Erwin, they also happened to be my very good friends, so they were aware of the fact that I liked to dabble into BDSM. One stupid night out happened, and I ended up getting a neck-to-toe pink latex outfit as a joke."

"And by getting, he means they stole it." Erwin giggled loudly.

"Yes...Thank you, Erwin...Fine, we stole it, whatever, we weren't really the best kids in the world ok? Anyway, that suit stayed on the bottom of my closet for the next few years, and I would've probably forgotten it existed, if it weren't for my two best friends announcing their marriage and plans to move away. As we packed and moved shit around, Isabel, my roommate, found it and after laughing about it for 10 minutes, we made a pact that the next time they come to visit me, I will take them to a fetish club, wearing that suit."

Levi's eyes were filled with fondness, that managed to seep through even over his apathetic tone, in which he was telling this silly story.

"Which is exactly what happened, and I ended up in front of club Titan, with Isabel and Farlan, as two tall blonds refused to let us in." He looked at Erwin with a small smile, "Of course not before they took their sweet time, to eye-fuck me for a while."

Erwin squinted his eyes from laughing.

"Could you blame me?" The blond shrugged, before taking over the story, "Back then, we didn't have a lot of staff yet, so Mike and I work the doors. When the three of them showed up, Isabel and Farlan in very casual clothes and Levi dressed in that...thing, we were sure they just came to the club as a dare or something. Which was not actually that far from the truth, now that I think about it..."

Blue eyes glanced at gray, "Also...The entire cub was dressed in dark colors, and I felt that letting Levi in, would be like, quite literally, throwing candy into a playpen full of children." Erwin laughed at his own remark. "Which again, was not that far from the truth..."

The raven just rolled his eyes, speaking up again, "Anyway...I kept nagging them, and long story short, after they finally let us in with a warning to behave, I ran into some dickhead who didn't seem to have the word consent in his vocabulary. So, I had to stamp the idea onto his face, with a few swings of my fists."

"A few swings meaning," The taller man interjected again, "I had to physically restrain Levi's hands to his back, and drag him to the storage room to calm down, while Mike kicked the other dude out of the club."

Eren was able to imagine that happening very easily.

"...It turned out, Levi very much enjoyed being pinned to a wall, so I will let just you work out the rest of the story by yourself." Erwin finished, raising his eyebrows slyly.

"So you're just going to leave out the best part?" The shorter man chuckled.

"I think Eren might wish to hear that another time. Besides it's slowly getting dark and we have other things to talk about... Right Eren?" The firming of the blue eyed man's expression, indicated it was time to pause with the jokes and shift to possibly more mature conversations. Although the prospect of it, made the brunet instantly feel the forming of the lump in his throat, by this point, he was very eager to finally have a semi-serious talk with the two.

"I assume you have some questions for us?" Erwin spoke firmly but mildly, smiling gently through each letter.

"Well, yeah, I do...I just..." Eren's eyes shifted down, as he searched through the whirlpool that were his thoughts, trying to fish out a single one that sounded like a full sentence. He sighed out, "I'm not even sure where to start..."

"That's ok, how about you..." The tall man voiced his understanding, but was cut short.

"Actually..." Green eyes opened a bit more wider, as Eren grabbed an idea by its tail, before it could swim away. "You both..uhm...Like me? I mean, how does that work?" He spoke as clumsily as ever, not sure if he was merely interested in the dynamics of such arrangement, or if he was questioning the fact, that he managed to get the attention of two such marvelous humans, at the same time.

"That's an excellent question! And a great way to start this. " Erwin seeped reassurance. "It's quite fun and fairly simple in essence, and Levi and I, are admittedly no strangers to it. Usually we meet up with someone, just like we are doing right now, and we get to know each other, learn about our likes and dislikes and if all goes well, we set the rules and  arrange a play date."

Eren listened intently, while the man spoke with both his mouth and hands.

"...So far we always did this with someone who already has experience with this lifestyle, the other person and Levi being the subs and me being a dom." Blue eyes looked at the raven, as if they were asking for a green light to say something. Charcoal strands of hair swayed lightly, as Levi nodded.

"But...We were thinking of trying something different this time. Levi why don't you continue from here?"

 _Of fucking course..._ Levi rolled his eyes. There was no way he was getting out of this with just nodding and sitting politely.

He sighed. "I'll try my best to speak clearly brat, but as you are probably aware, I am not really good at this, so please don't take it to heart if I come out crude"

Eren's memories of the first and last time he talked with the sharp-tongued man, were crystal clear in his mind and he subconsciously frowned at the feeling it elicited. At the same time, a different memory pushed through in the midst of the others, as he recalled Erwin's words from last night. It made the bitter feeling, slowly drown in empathy, considering Eren himself had a Master's Degree in confusion induced mumbling. Despite everything that happened, the brunet had been gradually realizing, as the day passed, that Levi was truly not a scary, over-the-top man with a permanent scold on his face...at least that was not _all_ he was.

"Remember me telling you, I'm not a dom? Well, it turns out, I just might be..." Levi got silent for a moment, before continuing, "I might want to try...To be one, for you."

More silence followed, as Eren tried to control the feeling of heat in his cheeks.

"If that's something you would still be into at all? And just to be clear this means, Erwin and me would share your pretty face...Amongst other things...As our sub." Silver eyes averted from green, to look at the blond man sitting next to him, Levi gaze petitioning him to take over.

"There is no rush, Eren," Erwin spoke up, after smiling approvingly at his lover. "Please know that, nothing you don't want will ever happen and if after this, you want nothing to happen at all, that's okay with us too. This situation requires your absolute, full consent and  we are happy to wait for that, for as long as you need. It's also important for you to ask yourself, if you are ready for all the things this might bring out from you, considering you're so new to this." Erwin had that mild, soothing gaze again, the one that could cause a devastating flood on Earth, a lot faster than global warming. "You will have to talk...A lot. Otherwise the simplicity I mentioned in the beginning, could quickly turn into an unnecessarily convoluted situation." Blue eyes, locked Eren's wide green ones, before the blond man said in a more cheery tone, "And I can assure you, we would be sharing each other equally." The man finished with a huge grin.

Eren just looked at them both, blinking as the words slowly slipped into his mind.

As of now, he felt he was ready to say yes to everything, and he almost did so, but a slightly teasing voice cut through his thoughts.

"So...What do you like Eren?" Levi voiced his interest in finding out more about the pretty brunet.

 _That's right,_ Eren thought with a small laugh, _I don't actually know, how to even properly answer that question._ "Uhm..." He started to go down the well know road of muttering.

"I'll tell you what..." Erwin stopped his journey, sensing the unsure feelings behind green eyes. "Starting tomorrow get ready to be bombarded with articles, videos and book suggestions. I assume you did some research yourself, and you should definitely continue that too, with us being here to answer any questions you may have along the way."

"You have our numbers brat. Call us if you need someone to make you blush again." Levi snickered. "But seriously though, we're, um...we're here for you."

 

******

Two man were making their way, with their hands in their pockets, through a park swallowed completely by the autumn, as a taller one leaned into the shorter.

"We're here for you," Erwin whispered in a softly mocking voice, next to his boyfriends ear.

"Shut up..." the raven hissed out pushing the giggling man away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have one more chapter after this, that serves the purpose of developing the story and then I would finally be posting the Smut ™.  
> Thank you for being with me this far, and as always I would love to hear your opinions!
> 
> **********  
> Thank you so much for reading!  
> If you have a little time I would love to hear some feedback about how I'm doing so far?  
> You can leave kudos if you liked it (it's like giving me a pat on the back ❁)
> 
> Send me ideas, requests, or just talk to me at [My tumblr ](https://aanerd.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Hope you continue to enjoy the fic ^^


	9. Future Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Tycho - Past is Prologue](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/170699370743/tycho-past-is-prologue)  
> A shorter one this time, as the new manga chapter had me occupied for days.  
> Enjoy your weekend! ^^

Eren was throwing pillows haphazardly around, as he tried to locate the position of his phone lost somewhere in the confines of the sofa, the ringing seeming to grow angrier by the second.

"Hello, yes!?" He said with a tiny frustration peeking through his voice.

"Eren...Hey, is this a bad time?" The brunet heard the mild voice of his sister come through the speaker.

"Mikasa...No, of course not, what's up, is everything ok?" He sat down onto the bare couch, only to get up a moment later, deciding he should gather all of the pillows, that were now located on every corner of the living room.

"Yes...I just, wanted to talk to you about, those messages you sent me..." Mikasa spoke a bit hesitantly, like she was debating whether it's even a good idea to start her next sentence.

Following their last group conversation on Skype, Eren explained all the details of his strange encounters with the mysterious woman at club Titan, via a text message to his sister. He was ready to receive the scolding of his lifetime, especially after deciding it was best to lay out the full truth about, how and why he ended up there in the first place. To say Mikasa was not happy, was like calling a raging storm a light, spring shower, but Eren was happier to confess to everything, while she was still miles away, rather than eventually having to face her and tell her all the awkward details in person. He braced himself for the reprimanding tone of his sister, with a long sigh.

"Nice Eren, I'm happy to talk to you too..." She joked at her brother's reaction, before shifting her voice to a frequency more resembling of worry. "Look there's no reason to get ahead of ourselves, but after you texted me the whole story about that...weird woman, I poked Hannes about the subject...I just honestly wanted to put an immediate stop to your silly theory, cause I frankly have had enough of you...But..."

Eren felt like someone had squeezed his heart tightly in their palm. What was he about to learn?

"...He became so nervous, just like when you asked him about it over Skype." Mikasa continued, "Remember how he used to always laugh away our questions and theories? He didn't seem like that now...So I kept nagging him and he started to grow more and more irritated and,  I don't know...It's was just weird. It sort of blown out into a full argument, until he finally blurted out that dad had a few business associates in Sina...Business associates? I had never even known he had any business outside of Shiganshina..."

"Not that we knew a lot about what he was doing anyway..." Eren replied with a voice colored in a mix of resentment and sadness. "Do you think it's possible, this was the place he would disappear for months at a time?" A familiar feeling washed through his body, as his mind started to work on connecting the dots between the old and newfound information. Were they doing this again?

It seemed like Mikasa was thinking the same thing, as her next words came out with a sigh, "Are you sure that woman was reacting to you, and was not just being generally creepy? God knows what kind of people gather in places like that..."

"Ouch.." Eren managed a giggle, that steered him away from his deep thoughts for a moment. "You might be in a situation where you will have to meet some of them, in the near future, so you might want to adjust your stance on that..." He said through a smile, that quickly turned into a straight line, realizing the thoughts of a future with Erwin and Levi, rolled down his tongue so naturally.

Mikasa's short moment of silence, spoke louder than any words of disapproval she could've said. "You haven't answered my question..." She said soon after.

"Yes I am sure. Look I know what you mean, and I would've probably brushed it away as just her being a weirdo too, but...I couldn't help but think there was definitely something more to it, after the way Hannes reacted to my question...Also there's the fact.." Eren blabbered quickly, trying to explain his thoughts to Mikasa, as much as to himself.

"Fine, fine..." She cut through his detective monologue, "Do you think you're freak friends would know anything about her? "

The brunet huffed a smile through his nose. It was funny how his sister still failed to realize, she was insulting him as much anyone else with her stinging remarks. _Whatever, she'll get used to it eventually._ Apart from that she was absolutely right, "Yes, that's a good idea!" He said as he already started to  plot a plan about the way he would ask Erwin and Levi about the woman.

"Ok, find out what you can and report back if you have anything useful, so I can press Hannes into telling us more...Just please, two feet on the ground ok?" Mikasa's concern flooded through the speaker. "This still might turn out to be nothing...."

"Yes I know..." Eren confirmed with a deep sigh. It was time to unpack some old boxed up feelings again, and hope the contents of it would not spread out, to completely clutter up both halves of his brain.

******

The next windy week, Eren spent fusing together with his work station, ruining his eyesight and posture during the daytime, while his nights were taken over by picturesque scenes of hands and legs intertwined in various settings, fueled by the sheer mass of BDSM content he consumed while trying to discern his own desires. The suggestive text messages exchanged late in the night, where just adding to the fire.

Eren soon learned that, asking the two man for clarifications on certain subjects, was much more fun, than googling the explanations for it on the internet. He was not only graced with detailed commentary on both the technicalities and personal impressions from the perspective of the sub, as well as the dom, but certain words came with examples too. This taught Eren another important lesson, which was to not open their messages while he had food in his mouth, as the three photos of Levi demonstrating different types of mouth gags, followed by Erwin's explanation on the pros and cons of each one, left him in a full-minute coughing fit.

These "strictly business" exchanges, gradually developed into more casual conversations, as Eren seemed to find any excuse to start up a chat with the two. By the looks of it so far, they were very much keen on indulging his wishes.

_[Eren]: Is it too late for a coffee now? I haven't left my apartment in two days...What are you guys doing?_

_[Levi]: We are about to do me._

｡｡｡｡

_Erwin's asking if you want to join..._

｡｡｡｡

_[Erwin] : Although I'm not opposed to it, it was definitely Levi asking that and not me. I just told him to not be, too forward._

｡｡｡｡

_Anyway...Coffee tomorrow?_

_[Eren]:  Uhm...Yes, sounds great...Have fun I guess?_

_[Erwin] :  Thinking of you! See you tomorrow!_

_Never a dull moment..._ Eren giggled with a fondness, he never thought he could feel for someone other than his family.

******

It was nice to experience the fresh air again, and even though the weather was getting progressively colder in the last few days, Eren insisted they sit outside in the garden, instead of the pleasantly heated interior of the coffee shop. Much to Levi's annoyance, which he expressed extensively every time a gust of wind tapped his black tresses across his face.

Eren enjoyed it, both the wind and Levi's grouchiness, the scene comfortably melting together with Erwin's smooth tone of voice, as he talked about his career paths as a historian, and how it evolved from specializing in and later teaching Oral History at Maria University, to eventually quitting his job and helping out Hanji, run the business at Titan full time. He kept his love of the past as a part of a hobby, interviewing people and writing articles for a prestigious, local magazine. It only made sense, the brunet thought with a smile, as he first imagined Erwin speaking eloquently in front of a packed lecture hall, his frameless glasses halfway down his nose, as he charmed the entire classroom with his impeccable sophistication and sedative attitude. Secondly, Eren was now able to see very clearly, where exactly the blonds amazing perceptiveness comes from. Reading what's inside of people, through a video or audio recording, and on scarce occurrences from a live interview, while they recount a certain event from their past, must've surely contributed to Erwin being so sensitized towards, recognizing other people's emotions, so well.

A strong slap of cold air brushed over their table, causing a disturbance in the neatly stacked strands of black hair, as Eren giggled at the very audible discontent coming from the chair across. The brunet extended his hand towards the grumpy face, fingers moving instinctively, like it was only natural for him to peel away the unruly dark locks, plastered over and obscuring the view of the man's silver eyes . Of course, as soon as his mind caught up with his actions, he yanked it away, the feeling similar to making contact with scorching hot coal, which might as well have been the truth, considering how both of their faces got momentarily consumed by heat.

As the days went by since their first meeting, Eren found himself constantly surprised over the contrast between the Levi at club Titan and the Levi sitting here right now,  looking at him almost flustered.

As on cue, the raven opened his mouth, quickly dispersing any traces of sentimentalism that were created by the previous moment: "Listen brat, that shit you just pulled on me, that's at least a stage 9 relationship move..." Levi pointed a finger at green eyes threateningly.

"Oh..." Eren looked at Erwin, as if searching for an explanation. The blond just laughed as he shrugged his wide shoulders, and the brunet followed suit with his own giggles after, "So...What stage are we on now, then?" Eren asked, using his flirty voice maybe for the first time, in front of the two men.

Erwin and Levi looked at each other, the smiles shaping both of their lips into two half circles.

"Hmm, now that you're asking, we could maybe raise it to level 2 right now, if you're up for it?" Erwin leaned in a bit over the table, towards Eren, who immediately saw a cat running away with his tongue. "No need to look so terrified," the blond man laughed lightly, "We just want to give you these documents to look through."

Eren palmed the black colored folder, with papers neatly stacked inside of it, as he looked up, waiting for the revelation as to what he was currently holding.

Erwin smiled fondly, "I realize you might not be able to tell us right now, all the things you are into, as you obviously don't even know all of it, yourself."

"Yeah, fetishes are sneaky like that." Levi commented remembering his own recent discovery.

"Exactly," the tall man nodded, "So until we together discover, all the sweet things that make you tick, you can read through the things that are written in here. It has everything Levi and I like and don't like, and we also added a third column for you to fill in."

"O-ok..." Eren managed to fight the urge to avert his gaze. 

"After you looked through our lists, we want you to jot down everything that you think you might want to try and exclude all the ones  you are currently certain you don't. You are welcome to arrange them in order of preference or however you deem it appropriate, and even add new things into your column if you find that our...extensive list is missing something. Once you do all that, we will need you to sign it. It's the safest way for all of us, to enjoy this without having to second guess each other in the middle of things happening." Erwin continued, while smirking. "Of course, these are always open to changes and we can add and subtract things from it as we go."

Eren kept nodding voicelessly, the curiosity over the contents of the file, made his fingers tense slightly.

"And look, I am sure you already read and will read many things on the internet in the future, that will tell you, how you are supposed to act in a BDSM setting. So I just want to make sure, you know that, even though you are taking on a roll of a submissive, your wants and needs are completely equal to our own." Erwin looked at Levi, as the raven nodded. "We don't care how other doms run their show...Until you're with us, we adjust to you, and not the other way around."

Eren drank in the words like a dry sponge. Reassurance was what he needed to stop the nagging  feeling of urgency, to just run away and leave everything in the confines of his dreams. Blue and silver were currently providing him just that, and he reveled in the sensation of his thoughts and feelings being genuinely cared for.

"That's...Good to know." The brunet said with a content smile. They were already slowly taking him apart, and they never even touched him.

"Ok, before pretty-eyes here melts into a puddle, from your disgusting sweet talking, I think we should head home, as I have only so much patience for the cold air constantly slapping me in the face." Levi said, looking at Erwin, before pulling a hoodie over his head a bit to aggressively.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something..." Eren interrupted, suddenly remembering one of the main reasons he suggested this second get-together. "If you are not in too much of a hurry?" He added looking at Levi, who sighed, and immediately received a nudge to the shoulder from the man next to him.

"Come on, I'm just joking." The raven defended, before looking at Eren," What's on your mind brat?"

Eren hesitated a bit, thinking of the best way to phrase his question. "Do you know who is the blonde umm, the kind of scary looking woman, with the smiling mask over her face? The one that looks like she's uh...Almost naked?"

Levi laughed, "Why? Do you want to add her to the party?"

"No! God no..." Brunet hair strands shook from left to right for emphasis. "That's definitely not what I meant" Eren turned towards Erwin "The night you gave me my members card, that woman was right behind you and I guess she had an unusual reaction to hearing my name? It's probably nothing, but it got just stupidly engraved in my mind and I wanted to see if you can tell me anything about her?"

"You mean Dina and yes, she is not the friendliest individual." The tall man said with a chuckle. "If you thought Levi was an asshole..."

"Oi!"

"...then Dina is on a whole other level. I know her from up and around the BDSM scene, although she used to frequent different clubs before she started coming to Titan. She wasn't such an unwelcoming person either, but after her partner passed away, she moved apartments and with that her usual outing places I guess...One can only imagine how hard could it be, to stick around the same area, that is filled with memories of a person who is not around anymore."

Eren gulped at the words. He knew that feeling all too well. "What happened to her partner?" He asked dryly.

"You are very strangely curious about this...." Erwin noticed, even though he refrained himself from inquiring more about the reason behind it, "I think she mentioned something about a car accident, but I'm not sure. It was a long time ago."

Eren's eyes widened, as they focused out of reality and onto his mental evidence-board to which he taped yet another clue. _This time...Were they actually onto something?_

He decided he needed to confront the woman herself.


	10. A need to feel loved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Reflekt - Need To Feel Loved (Adam K & Soha Vocal Mix)](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/170885507373/reflekt-need-to-feel-loved-adam-k-soha-vocal)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, surprise! Here is an early chapter for Valentine's Day!  
>  ~~I'm still late for it by half an hour~~
> 
> Here is almost 9000 words of drama, angst and porn, I really hope you'll enjoy it!

_Bondage_

_Breath-play_

_Edging_

_Impact play_

_Floggers, crops, canes, whips, paddles,_

_Pet play_

_Sensation play_

_Sensory deprivation...._

 

Eren's eyes ran over the impressively lengthy list of the two men's most intimate fantasies, as he sat in his bed, back leaning on a bunched up pillow, eyes shining with a halogen blue, the light of his phone reflecting from the white paper.

He had to wait until Armin waved him goodnight and disappeared into his room, to finally pull out the kinky files, that were screaming at him from the top drawer of his workstation, the entire evening.

 

Now that he was able to read through everything undisturbed, he felt his brain stir up a nice cocktail of excitement and anxiety, the heat of his cheeks probably providing enough illumination, for him to be able to turn off the light from his phone, and still be capable of reading the words clearly.

 

 _So this is a contract huh?_ Eren couldn't help but laugh softly. He absolutely understood the importance of it, but the concept of needing one for sex, still felt very surreal.

Was he ready to try this out for real? Even after reading endless articles, even after the constant words of reassurance, he was still very nervous.

But that was normal right?

There were no doubts in his mind that he can trust them, that was not the issue, he concluded.

_We will only do the things you want, whenever you decide you want them..._

Erwin's soothing voice rang in his mind.

 

So where was this fear coming from?

 _That's right, the not knowing,_ he was quick to answer his own question.

He had all the necessary equipment and a hundred flashlights lighting his way, but still, the inherit fear of the unknown was there.

 

He read through the list for the third time, as his hand timidly started to copy some of the words into his own column. Three things became five, and then six, and by the end of it, he had a modest but brave list of ten scenarios, he felt he was excited to try out, for now.

He turned the page, and as his eyes met with the words, a snort barely managed to contain itself within the appropriate volumes for midnight.

 _Holy shit...Some people sure are...Fun..._ He giggled quietly, examining the dislike section of the contract.

 

_Definitely no knives..._

_Yuck...Nope to that too..._

 

Eren ended up writing 'SAME' into his own dislike column, being very aware of the fact that, it would probably annoy the hell out of Levi.

He squiggled his signature on the line at the very bottom. _Let's bite the bullet and see what happens._

 

******

All the things he needed that night were conveniently placed together in close proximity, and Eren was able to lay his eyes on his tasks immediately upon entering club Titan.

Looking to the right, he examined his first bullet point on the to-do-list for tonight, that took a form of an angry-looking woman sitting on a bar stool, her back turned away from Eren.  He needed to speak to this Dina person, no matter how much had Armin tried to convince him to wait. The blond promised Eren to come with, and it would've really been easier if Armin was here, holding the controls to the brunet's emotions , tuning them so he would get the best chance of achieving what he came for this evening. But he was forced to scratch that promise last second, having to replace his boss in the lab, who fell asleep over the specimen table.

Yes, having Armin constantly drag him by his sleeves had the annoying tendency to make things turn out for the better. But, he wasn't here, and Eren decided he couldn't go through another night contemplating the same things over and over again. Actions needed to be taken, and they were happening right now, with our without his best friend.

The left side of the room, and the second and only other thing on his list, managed to evoke far more pleasing thoughts, under the crown of brunet locks. Two beautiful man were standing, casually leaning their elbows on the bar, looks directed at one another, as they seemed to be exchanging those looks, that Eren so desperately wanted to be a part of.  Or in the middle of, preferably.

He was ready to dip his feet into the shallow waters, that were only the beginning of the deep-seated ocean known as Erwin's and Levi's relationship. Clutching the belt of his over-the-shoulder bag, his want floored the gas pedal, as everything around him seemed to go out of focus for a few moments, eyes narrowing on two pair of others, as he made his way across the club.

"Hello, brat." The shorter man on the left greeted.

"Hi Eren" The taller one opposite him, voiced immediately after, and the boy found himself looking confusedly from one side to the other, trying to figure out, to whom he should say his greetings first.

"Jesus Christ kid, if you keep getting flustered like that from a simple _Hello_ , I swear...", Levi snorted at the bewildered young face.

"Uh..sorry..." Eren giggled at his own nervousness. "Here, I have something for you." The brunet said, pulling out two folders from his bag as he placed them on the bar. "Filled and signed." He said pressing his lips into an awkward smile.

 _Well, somebody is in a hurry,_ Erwin held back a snicker, as he skimmed through the papers, catching the areas with Eren's handwriting. "Thank you, we'll read through these more carefully, somewhere more appropriate."

Eren nodded, as he realized he just checked off the task, that up until now, he deemed as a secondary priority. As surprisingly positive as it may felt, it made him immediately shift his gaze to the left, as he looked over Levi's shoulder, furrowing his eyebrows over what was coming next.

"Your interest in Dina is kind of creepy you know?" The raven cocked his head slightly, as if trying to see into Eren's mind.

"Care to share?" Another voice inquired, phrasing its concern more nicely.

"I doubt either of you are in a mood, for a sob story tonight..." Eren shrugged, eyes stubbornly stuck on the blonde woman behind Levi's back.

"Are you implying we get to spend the night with you?" A tiny grin played across the shorter man's lips. "Cause if that's the case..."

Green eyes snapped back with a laugh, "Gosh, and here I was thinking you're the ice queen among the three of us." Eren said, as he realized, just how much of a vacation do these two men provide him with, from his usual brooding self.

Speaking of whom... "Excuse me..." Brown hair swayed lightly, as he made his way past the raven, taking a few more steps, until he was close enough to speak to the woman in a normal voice.

"Hi, my name is Eren Jaeger, have we met before?" He decided not to tip toe too much around the subject, as he made sure to pronounce his full name as clear as possible, searching for any signs of recognition on her face. And sure enough, wide eyes flew across his own, sticking to them for a moment, before the woman turned back, to gaze at the broad-bottom glass she was twirling between her fingers.

"What do you want?" She spoke sharply, from underneath the mask, making Eren drag his feet just a hair back over the floor, his body feeling like it was ready to turn and run away at any second. 

He took a deep breath in, before repeating the question "I was just wondering if we know each other from somewhere? Maybe you knew my parents? Carla and Grisha Jaeger?"

He heard a glass clink against the wooden bar. After that it was only silence, as the brunet observed clear eyes tense up, before heavy eyelids closed on them. They stayed like for a while, too long if Eren was concerned, as he watched the woman's face turn from sharp, narrow lines, to an almost soft expression, the wrinkles showing of the presence of painful feelings more than anything else.  Her eyes scrunched a bit harder in time with her lips, as she seemingly tried to collect herself.

"What makes you think that?" The voice came out dry, as her eyelids flew open, and Eren took one more step backwards, now being only a breath away from leaning on Levi's back.

He didn't fail to notice how the woman's voice cracked slightly, in a most likely futile attempt, to mask away any emotions that threatened to surface, and to Eren it was clear as day, that there were secrets behind it. He needed to know right now..."Please, If you know something about my parents, you have to tell me..." He almost whispered, taking a few bold steps forward, his expression mirroring the hurt in the woman's eyes.

Silence.

Eren's usual sparkling green eyes, were completely overshadowed by a dark glare, as his pupils widened in an desperate attempt to show, just how big of a need was hiding behind them.

"I don't know anything, you...You mixed me up with someone," her stressed expression was now hidden behind platinum hair as she bowed her head down.

"That's a lie!" Eren yelled, making the two men behind him immediately turn around.

By now, this was an achingly well-known scenario. Crude answers and disinterested looks, that Mikasa and he kept constantly being met with, whenever they dared to question anyone about their parents. Just shrugging shoulders and lips pressed together, as everyone claimed to know nothing. Eren was sick of that. Long before they grew up, both of them knew, the whole story wassn't being told to them. What could've been so horrible that silence was deemed more healthy than the truth?

He didn't even realize the tears dwelling up in his furious stare, until one of the drops ,won the fight against the surface tension, and slowly flowed down to touch the corner of his lips. It added the painful pinch of salt to his newly opened, old wounds.

"Eren..." A strong grip on his shoulder turned him around on his heel, and he locked his hazy stare with blue eyes, a moment after.

"Whatever it is, that you are trying to achieve right know, it will not work when you're like this...Can I...Can we take you outside for a bit so you can calm down?" Erwin's voice radiated tranquility.

Eren didn't want to be calm. He had enough of having to stay collected and rational, excusing himself and leaving with a drooping tail, as he repeatedly failed to get any closer to the truth, than his ten year old self was many years ago.

"Oi brat..." Silvery eyes approached slowly, sensing the brunets impulse of refusing to back down. "Not now ok? I promise you this is not the way...Let us help you out, with whatever this is hm?" He carefully wrapped an arm around lightly shaking shoulders, as the boy got slowly lead out of his dark thoughts, out into the cold post-midnight air, another warm hand tightly wrapped around his own, leading the way.

"The car..." Levi murmured, as he gestured with his head.

"Where are we going?" Erwin asked calmly.

"Let's just go and I'll give directions" The dark-haired man answered concisely.

 _Yes sir..._ Erwin thought with a small chuckle.

 

The car ride was silent, broken only by the dry voice in the passenger seat, giving directions as they took turn after turn, making their way out of the urban area of the city.

This was far from over in Eren's mind, and he was now more sure than ever, that he just made his first steps on the road that, will lead him to finding out the truth about his parents. He didn't care if the revelation would hurt him, he didn't care if turned out to be underwhelming either, he just wanted to have peace from his own thoughts.

An occasional flicker of light, kept drawing his attention away from his gloom, and Eren's gaze turned towards it, only to see two tenacious pairs of eyes glancing at him in the car mirror, for what must've been the hundredth time. He smiled silently into his chin, as the car slowly came to a stop at a highway rest area, leading out of the city. 

"Come on," the raven said calmly, as they took a stroll down the sidewalk alongside the road, reaching an overpass a few minutes later, tiny collection of trees and bushes surrounding it on both sides of the highway. Turning right slightly in order to walk off of  the concrete and onto the shortly cut grass, they found themselves surrounded by this tall greenery, densely stuck together, forming what resembled a small forest. It was just a few steps in, when Levi pulled them to the left, and they came face to face with huge, concrete blocks, which they proceeded to use as a stairway, leading them up onto a bridge, stretched over the road. 

"An abandoned railway," Levi explained, "I used to come up here at night, a lot as teenager...You know, watching the car lights speed away, as they passed underneath, was calming and shit..." The raven said it in a monotone voice, the squint of his eyes not agreeing with the fake indifference he wanted to portray.

"I remember you telling me about this,," The tall man nodded lightly, before turning to Eren, "He never took _me_ here though..." Erwin chuckled, feigning offence, as the three of them followed Levi to the middle of construction. The lights attached to the underside of the bridge were pointed onto the road, granting them a cover of complete darkness, and enabling them to freely sit on the cold asphalt unnoticed, as they watched the cars go by.

"We both know, you have very different ways of dealing with being upset. Much more...fun, may I say, than some romanticized gazing into the distance." Levi sat down last, making sure they were planted on each side of Eren.

"If by fun you mean, I express my thoughts and feelings through interesting verbal communication, then yes, I agree." The blond man countered with a smile, that indicated he knew exactly what Levi was talking about.

The brunets chuckle followed their snarky exchange, and it was a welcome sound, as both man let out a quiet sigh of relief, over the slow shift in the boy's  mood.

Eren looked around, and that small chuckle gradually morphed into a wide grin, as he shook his head, taking in the current frame in the movie that was his life. Here he was, sitting on an abandoned bridge in the middle of nowhere, freezing his ass off at _god-knows-what_ a.m. On his right a tall blond man, with a mister universe sash, not a single hair out of place, not a single thing out of order in his appearance or life, his blue eyes giving him a look, that could calm down a hurricane. On his left, an actual porcelain figurine, with eyes constantly cooking up a storm, the one that you would find displayed in a glass cabinet, in someone's luxurious study, put there so only the privileged would be able to play with it. His fingers restless even when he was relaxed, breaking through the illusion of the stoic character he tried so hard to maintain, as the skin around his eyes showed the signs of being worn out by life.

Yeah...Eren could definitely relate to that.

 

"Can I invite myself over to your place?" The brunet's soft voice broke the silence.

He looked at them both, knowingly, before averting his gaze, to stare at his thumbs that were now fidgeting nervously.

Two pair of eyes exchanged a surprised glance, the more colorful one giving a cue to the other, to speak.

"Eren..." Levi grabbed the boy's chin, looking questioningly into green orbs.

"I know what you're going to say" Eren tentatively wrapped his own palm around Levi's forearm."I'm upset and I shouldn't make emotional decisions, fueled by the need for comfort, that I might regret later...But, this is not something I decided, just now..." He turned his gaze towards Erwin, "I think my mind was made up, the first time I had the privilege, of being the subject of your immature sense of humor." Eren laughed, as the words rolled out from his lips. This time, he was content with letting them take whatever direction they wanted. "Can we please talk later, and go now, before my butt freezes to the ground?" 

"Are you sure about this?" Erwin spoke up, chasing after Eren's gaze, that went down to his fingers again. " It's very late already, and our home is quite a drive from here, you might even change your mind until we get there..."

"Right, I'm sorry, I forgot that old people like you guys, go to bed early, in order to be well rested for tomorrows bingo game," Eren teased with as much sarcasm he could squeeze out of his voice, "Or you could just say you're not interested anymore...After tonight. I am very aware that I'm a mess..." He tried to add jokingly, but the words echoed with true concern, his eyes never moving away from the ground.

A strong yank, starting from the collar of his coat, shifted his head up abruptly, as his face moved towards a dark-haired man, mouth heavily colliding with another, his own teeth pressing deeply into the back his own lips, from the impact. Eren winced slightly from the pain, and the soft moan was used as an excuse, for a tongue to lick at his lower lip, exploring the limits of how far it could go. He melted into it, leaning gently forward, as his own tongue intertwined with the raven's, invitingly gliding over it, savoring the blood-pressure-raising taste. 

"Who you calling old brat?" He heard, and the kiss was over as suddenly as it started.

Eren wanted to object, but his intention was cut short, as a another tug from the right, landed him on his feet, forcing him to prop himself onto his toes. Within a moment, another set of demanding lips were grazing his own, teasing lightly, as their heavy breaths mixed together in between, before tongues met again, adding a drop of gasoline to the fire that was already burning aggressively.

He barely had time to catch his breath and comprehend what had just happened, as he was dragged by the tall man, over and off the bridge, following closely behind raven locks.

"Who are you calling not interested?" Blue eyes looked back, to smirk at him.

 

He was shoved into the car a bit too harshly, the action only making him giggle more, as he observed the men exchange a few words with their glances, before the urgency returned into their movements. Erwin slammed the door to the driver's side, causing the brunet to squeeze his eyes shut for a moment. As he opened them again, all the blood pumping through his body started to slide down, the view of Levi stepping into the backseat with him, taking him by a surprise.

"We don't want you to be bored through the ride." He said in his signature voice, that never managed to match the intensity of his actions, as Eren was pushed back, to lean on the opposite car door, one leg lifted up on the seat, the other hanging off of it, narrow eyes, lust turning them two times their size, making its way between his legs.

"Let's see if you taste as good as you look, brat." Levi spoke, his words becoming more and more airy, each time he unhooked another button  on the brunet's tight jeans.

Eren desperately grasped at the head rest on the seat in front of him, as his hips got lifted up and his pants yanked down, in a few effortlessly quick movements. His heart beat could win the race, against the car they were currently riding in, as a curious, gentle finger ran across his already leaking arousal, through his boxer shorts. Silver eyes looked at him half lidded, before the pad of the same finger, pressed lightly on the wet spot, that was cutting through the fabric of his underwear.

"Mmmh..." Eren heard Levi mumble a few moments later, as he watched the raven's finger move in and out of his thin lips, mouth slightly parted, as he tasted Eren's wetness.

"...Tastes just as pretty..." The dark-haired man spoke, with a voice close to a whisper, leaving Eren loudly panting at the scene, the entire ordeal intensified, by the feeling of the pleasant cold washing over him, as his boxers got pulled down over his knees.

Levi smiled at the picture. This was starting off,  better than he ever imagined it, and he took a second to give a side glance towards the driver's seat, immediately catching Erwin's gaze in the rear-view mirror. Simpering, he turned back to Eren, and slowly repeated the previous motion, dragging his index finger over the boy's, now naked length, lingering slightly at the tip, as he traced slow circles around the wet spot . He felt the shudder of the brunet's muscles through his thighs, that were placed on each side of Levi, and the raven had to struggle a bit to lean forward, before he stretched his arm enough, to put his finger into the blond's mouth.

"What do you think?" Silver eyes inquired, a silent hiss escaping him, as he felt his lover's lips over his skin.

"Mmmm...It's just like you said..." Erwin gave Levi's finger another lick, before having to turn his full focus back on the road again, "I can't wait to feel the rest of him..." He glanced up once more at the mirror, just in time to see Eren's eyes roll back, as Levi leaned down, and swallowed the brunet's entire length.

The blond tried his best to keep his eyes on the road, the sounds from behind filling the entire car, as they looped around his head, like a spell. His clothes felt way to tight for something like this, and he had to breathe a few heavy sighs, to regain composure. Every small glance he managed to sneak in, made him more and more convinced, this was one of the best decisions his boyfriend and he had made since they met. Erwin had always found immense enjoyment in playing with others. Every time, it was a new set of desires, a new body and mind to explore and although it wasn't a frequent occurrence, each time they did get to play this game , both Levi and he were left with discoveries, that made their own relationship richer and the bond between them more solid. Although different possibilities were always swirling around, somewhere in the depths of his mind, Erwin would've been happy with acting out his most curious fantasies with two subs, reveling in the fact that two other people shared them so eagerly, too. But this, was different. Levi... _His Levi_ , being the one taking the initiative, as he put on a back-seat show for all of their pleasure, was something he thought, he would never ever want to be without again. The way he moved with determination, his eyes revealing more and more confidence with each passing minute, Erwin knew this could only be a good change, from his lovers usual mindset. Then of course, there was the absolutely delectable way, in which another body responded to this control, and just looking at Eren turning completely pliant under Levi, made Erwin push on the gas pedal more, than he would like to admit was safe.

"Slow down," the tall blonde ordered in a calm voice, speaking to the other two men in the car, as much as to himself, as he saw Eren's thoroughly wrecked expression, and the way his body tensed as he arched his back. He really wanted to play with it.

"Let's keep him on his toes, until we reach the house." He added, smirking at the unfolded sheets of paper, spread out on the passenger seat.

Levi and he had talked about this, as to what would happen if, and when Eren said yes to their proposal. They both agreed it's best for Erwin to stay in charge overall, especially for the first few times they did anything together, as he would follow Levi's mind along, spicing things up when needed, while the raven gets to explore his dominant side, being free to act as he feels, without the pressure of upholding control over the situation, at all times. It was the best arrangement for all of them, until they got to know each other a bit more.

An exasperated whine, voicing it's protest, made Erwin look up at the mirror again, noticing it came from under green eyes.

Eren barely managed to hold them open, as Levi's mouth gradually slowed down to an achingly teasing pace. It didn't matter at this point, the lips were too hot around him and Eren kept trying to swallow down the coil forming in his lower body, "Ahhh...Please..I don't think I can..." He threw his head back as a tongue ran over excruciatingly slowly over his slit. "Ohhh...God!" He choked out.

"Just a few more minutes sweetheart, we are so close," Erwin cooed at the boy "You are doing so well for us...God, you two are such a pretty sight..." He continued, as he watched Eren completely fall apart.

He came hard, the words of praise spilling from the blond's mouth, taking over the controls of his mind. He felt Levi smirk around his pulsing cock, as the raven swallowed him all.

"Hmm...Praise kink and edging kink confirmed." Levi said after a moment, raising both eyebrows towards the car mirror, before returning his gaze to Eren's blushed face."Fuck...This, was wonderful..."

"Let's do it again then..." The blond responded, drifting the car into their front yard, as he parked, barely stopping the vehicle before he flew out,  dragging the two man with him.

 

Eren barely managed to get rid of his shoes,  kicking them off of his feet in mid-air, as two men pulled him across the hallway, into what looked like a living room. A sharp right, led them to a door and in a matter of seconds, the brunet found himself standing in a spacious bedroom painted in soft beige colors. A king-sized bed took up the entire upper right corner, placed next to a large, double window and enough away from the wall, so it could be approached from both sides. A small night stand on the left, and  two white , scraped-paint texture closets across it, were the only pieces of noticeable furniture in the room. Eren didn't have enough time to let his gaze roam around the details of the space, as he got tightly squeezed between wto muscular chests, leaning with his back on a tall blond's pectorals, while the shorter male pressed himself to his front, both of their breaths caressing different parts if his neck, making him so dizzy, Eren had to close his eyes to collect himself.

"Is everything ok?" Levi whispered close to his ear.

"Yes, it just...A bit too much, I think." The brunet sighed out with a tiny laugh, "...But I'm fine, don't...Stop..." He quickly added, slightly turning his head, as he felt the man behind him, take a step backwards, putting some distance between their bodies, that were touching so comfortingly a moment ago.

"Ok Eren here's how this is going to play down...I trust you know how the color system works, yes?" Erwin asked firmly, as both men carefully explored his body language, looking for any sign of hesitance or doubt, backing away a little, to let him think.

"Yes." Eren said, remembering the importance of speaking as clearly as possible. "Green is go, Yellow is soft stop, Red is hard stop," he repeated the words, he heard about a hundred times, while doing his research.

"Good" Erwin let himself run his palms down the boys beautiful shoulders in praise.

 _So pretty,_ were the only thoughts that emerged in his mind."We're taking it easy tonight ok?" The tall man spoke again, tracing the muscles on the boy's arms, and Eren nodded, looking to blue, and then back to ash colored eyes, each of them reflecting the same want, he felt restlessly coursing through his body.

"You tell us, if things are too much or too little yes?" Levi stepped closer, "We want to make you feel good brat."

The raven's inflection was like electricity, and Eren's body shivered slightly at the thought of what was coming.

"I love how words only, can make you so undone...It's adorable"  Levi made an attempt at sweet talk, eyeing the visible bulge in the brunets pants. He moved even closer, flushing himself against Eren's body again, reaching his arms past the boys tight stomach, grazing his waist just barely with his fingers, as he braced himself on the chest of the man behind, before rolling his hips and watching as green-eyes shut close from the pleasure. 

_Ahh..._

Chocolate looks flew back, safely landing on a broad shoulder, as the tall men used the opportunity to gently bite into Eren's exposed neck

Levi smiled, as he felt the brunet's hands come up his back, sliding over with open palms, until they ended up getting tangled in and slightly tugging on his hair. He bent his head down an inch, to set himself free from the grasp, as he moved back a few steps, and started unbuttoning his shirt. Gray eyes flew from green to blue with a devilish smirk, as he swayed his shoulders in gentle motions, up...and down...His shirt gliding down his back with ease. 

Both men watched the show wordless, the soft kisses resuming over Eren's neck quickly after, as he was left to bask in the beauty that was Levi's half naked presence, showered in the faint moonlight coming from the tiny opening in the curtains. Eren's arms twitched in a desire to run his hands, slowly over each curve of that appetizingly sculpted body, but his attempt was hindered by a strong grip on each of his wrists, as he felt himself being pulled back.

"Let us tease you a little more...Is that ok? " Erwin breathed into the nape of his neck, smiling against the goose bumps on Eren's skin. 

_Hmmmh..._

The boy hummed from both pleasure and frustration, while nodding, as he decided to let these two take him on whatever road they wanted, in whichever way they pleased. He was leaning slightly forward, his balance shifted by his arms being held around his back, as he was forced to lift his head a bit, in order to see what was going on in front of him. 

Levi sighed out, pressing his lips together. Eren looked like a baby deer, caught in the headlight of his intense gaze, the brunet's spectacularly green, glowing eyes, as big as the vulnerability he was radiating. Levi wanted nothing more than to see them cry from pleasure. He approached him, so his chest was only a hair away from hungry lips, as he reached down with his hands, and equally slowly, started unbuttoning the younger ones shirt. 

Eren stretched out his neck, eyelids sliding down, to cover his eyes, already imagining the taste of  the skin, he was about to touch with his lips. But all he kissed was hot air, emitting from Levi's body, as the man behind him pulled at his arms, not letting him close the distance between his mouth and the man in front. He blushed furiously, as he looked up at Levi, pleading for any kind of assistance.

"You never asked for permission to touch me," the man said dryly, but a heavy breath that followed his words, gave away just how hard he was struggling to keep up the play, as he caught his own lips with his teeth to prevent another sigh.

Levi looked away and up to meet Erwin's gaze, who smiled contently in approval. 

"Please..." a faint voice pleaded. "I need to touch you...Both of you," the squeak grew a little louder, in time with his need.

The two men, exchanged knowing stares, before Levi spoke up again.

"Here..." He said as he stepped close enough, so his chest clashed with Eren's lips. 

The brunet was sure his brain short-circuited for a second, before he managed to start moving his mouth, placing open mouthed kisses wherever he could reach.

Erwin watched the scene go down, and wondered about which fucking lucky star, was he born under, to be able to have this experience with not one, but two insanely attractive man.

He leaned forward to catch thin lips in a wet, urgent kiss, their mouths going up, an over each other, in a sloppy mess of passion.

The way the men above him stood closer together, gave Eren more areas to cover with his lips, as he roamed over Levi's chest. Listening to them mumbling into each other mouths above, he decided to brave the ravens skin with a tentative tongue, slowly licking its way up to his nipples. He sighed out softly with nervous excitement, before biting gently into the one on the right, quickly following it by a wet flick of his tongue.

Levi"s eyes shot open and he couldn't stop himself, as he moaned into Erwin's mouth, completely unrestrained. He knew this was about to drive the tall blond crazy.

"Good boy..." The blond spoke against Levi's mouth, as he praised the pretty brunet beneath them. He rolled his hips against the boy's ass cheeks, rewarding him for making his lover moan so sweetly, his cock fitting perfectly between the two plump curves, as chocolate eyebrows furrowed from the hair-spiking sensation. Except Levi's shirt and Erens unbuttoned one, they were all still annoyingly clothed and Erwin decided he had just about enough of it.

He freed the brunets arms, without a warning, making the brunet stumble a few steps forward, as Eren was forced to brace himself on the raven's waist.

"You really are a sadist you know?" Levi said looking at his boyfriend, as he lifted the boy's chin up to his face, dragging it slowly across his lips, caressing the brunet's soft jawline.

"Color Eren?" The blonde man inquired from behind, worried he might have indeed gotten a bit carried away in his games.

"Green...It's green!" Eren said hastily, wanting to make it clear, he was enjoying himself.

"It's green...Sir." Erwin corrected, a small sigh of relief slipping through his lips, knowing the wonderful green-eyed kid, was having fun, as much as they did. He had to make a mental note though, to keep his dirty mind restrained for now.

"It's green sir...." Eren repeated in one faint breath, as he felt skillful fingers unbutton his jeans, and pulling out his erection from the confines of his underwear 

Even though by now, all of them were eager to move quickly forward , Levi couldn't resist, as he was already on his knees, to stop and trace a few lines with his tongue over Eren's abs. Hearing the boy squirm so sweetly, made it worth of giving into that need.

"Damnit Eren," he spoke, in time with breathing in, "How the fuck do you smell like candy?" He said, the voice coming out as a whisper, and Eren mentally patted himself for going overboard with his favorite perfume tonight, the sweet lemongrass and sage notes still present on his skin.

Erwin lingered too, admiring every muscle on the boys back, imagining all the ways he would like to make them bend and twist, as he slowly undid his own pants, and climbed out of his underwear, his full erection coming to rest between Eren's now bare butt cheeks. He took a second to enjoy the delicious contact, before finally deciding to put a stop to the weeks of delightful torture, as he spoke, "Levi, would you care to sit on your knees, on the bed over there, and pull this pretty boy in your lap?" 

"Come with me brat..." The raven moved like a cat, pulling Eren by the arms, getting rid of his pants and boxers on the way.

He crawled over the bed, propping himself on his knees and parting them slightly, positioning himself so he was facing Erwin. He pulled the rosy faced boy in next,  placing him over his thighs and crotch, their skins touching in the most intimate of ways. Levi sighed, nuzzling the back of chocolate hair, arms roaming around the tight abs of the boy.

"Both of you...Are so beautiful..." Erwin watched in awe. "Can you lean in for me Eren, so Levi could have a play with that pretty hole of yours, while I attempt to kiss you senseless?" Blue eyes inquired, burning like wildfire.

Eren obeyed the request, shifting from Levi's lap onto all fours, averting his gaze, as his entire body turned into the color of his cheeks. Soft fingers grabbed at his chin, as Erwin kneeled down in front of the bed, blue irises staring at eye-level into green.

 "Don't you dare, hide your gorgeous eyes like that..Color Eren?" The blond hushed out gently.

"It...It's green sir..." Eren responded, not being able to hide the absolute weakness he had for, being spoken to so nicely.

"I suggest you tone down the sweet talk Erwin, otherwise, I'm afraid we might not get a chance to play with anything for long..." Levi smirked, as silver eyes observed the light tremble of Eren's thighs. He scanned every inch of the sight in front of him, the delectably pink hole, two perfectly curved pieces of bronze flesh framing it, and his finger uncontrollably went to touch at it, this time eliciting a full body shake from the boy.

"Hurry up then..." Erwin smiled, looking deep into emerald eyes, before kissing the soft lips languidly,  like someone just re-adjusted the time into slow motion, as he explored Eren's taste with overwhelming enjoyment.

Levi grabbed the necessary equipment from the night stand drawer, and hurriedly coated one finger in lube, warming it up, and spreading it over his other fingers, before slowly painting a line with it, over the soft, puckered flesh of Eren's entrance. 

The boy shuddered again, humming into the other man's mouth, and Levi could not get enough of it, as he repeated the movement, dragging his finger across over...and over...until the boy had to break away from the kiss, hot, messy panting, mixing in with his attempt to speak.

"Please Levi..." He grabbed suddenly at Erwin chest, open palms tracing over it slowly, like he just realized he had finally gotten a chance to do that. "Please...Can you _ahhh..._ "

He didn't get to finish his sentence, as Levis finger slid in gently, calmly staying in place for a few moments, before he started  wiggling it just slightly, forward and back.

"We'll need to work on your communication brat...But for now just enjoy yourself..." The raven haired man said, as he curved his finger up, stretching the tight space around it. His movements were full of caution and restrain, as the entirety of the events that happened to this moment, were as new to him as they were to Eren, and frankly Erwin too. He imagined what it would feel like, not having to hold back, as the realization of the beauty, of controlling someone else's pleasure, started to gradually hit him, his body buzzing from the thrill, of letting this persona out of the confines of his thoughts, and into the open. He could definitely get use to this boy squirming under his touch.

With this in thought in mind, he slowly added in another finger, seeing the brunet's beautiful back glistening from sweat.

Eren furrowed his eyebrows for a fraction of a second at the intrusion, but considering how far he was already gone, it didn't took long for the sting to morph into pleasure. He pushed his hips back, meeting Levis fingers, using the break in the kiss, to look up at Erwin, hand moving from the bed towards the tall mans crotch, eyes pleading for permission.

 _Fuck..._ The blond sighed at the sight, as he lifted his hips from his feet, so his arousal was directly in front of Eren's face. The boy licked at it like a kitten, before swallowing around it as much as he could, and Erwin thought he would die then and there.

"So perfect..." He moaned out the words, and Levi looked at him surprised, smirking at the scene immediately after. _It seems like someone thoroughly read through those contracts,_ he thought, never really imagining, Eren would be brave enough, to test their own kinks like this. Smiling, he curved up all three fingers, that were now inside Eren, and successfully grazed over the spot that made the boy arch his back abruptly, and made both man in front of him moan in unison.

 _Ok this was amazing_ , and Levi did it again, a high pitched mewl vibrating around Erwin's cock, causing the blond to let out a deeper, but just as equally sinful moan himself.

"Eren...Do you think you're ready?" Levi's voice was full of restrain, as he ran his hands all over the boy's back, asking for confirmation to proceed with, what they all have been vividly fantasizing about for the past few weeks.

Erwin took a step back to allow the boy to speak, Eren whining, as he was left empty on both sides.

"Tell us Eren, we need to hear your pretty voice, if you want us to continue". The blond softly spoke while petting brown tussled hair.

"I was ready forever ago, please just..." Eren's voice faltered, as he realized none of the man were making any moves towards him.

"Please just what Eren?" The smirk was audible in the raven's voice.

"Please just fuck me, until I forget how to breathe...Sir..." he looked back at Levi, before turning his gaze at Erwin again "Can I have your cock, fuck my mouth...Sir?" Enunciating the _sir_ each time, as he was at his wits end and desperate for release.

Erwin and Levi raised their eyebrows, both amused with the bluntness and the adorable attempt at snarkiness, coming from their usually blushing brunet.

"Tch, tch..." Levi shook his head lightly, as he wrapped a condom over his cock. "Better be ready to forget that attitude too," and he was pulling Eren up, and slowly lowering him over his hard length, both of them getting lost for a moment, in the overwhelming sensation.

Erwin climbed onto the bed to kneel in front of them, scooting himself closer, and propping Erens bent knees up on his thighs, lifting him from the bed completely, so the brunet had enough leverage to move as he wished. He observed his expression carefully, as brown eyebrows made a sharp V, slight wince escaping his mouth. Large palms wrapped around  Eren's cock, hoping to provide a sweet distraction, from any discomfort. 

Levi was trying hard to control himself, breathing silently, as Eren's tightness caused him to see stars. He didn't want to do anything to rush him, so he feigned calmness, containing his eagerness, as his heart pumped blood through his body in double speed. Thankfully, It didn't take too long for the boy to make the first tentative movements, and as soon as he did, Erwin wrapped his hands around both of their leaking arousals, and started raising his hips in time with Eren's.

Levi let the brunet have them, however he wanted them, for a little while, awarding him for being so patient with their relentless teasing, and deciding to disregard the slight attitude he had at the end there...For now. He soaked in the panting noises, of two beautiful man, naked on his bed, and he let his thoughts get drunk with them completely.

Green eyes kept rolling back, and any coherent thoughts he had, were being dispersed into bits, each time he propped himself up on his knees and lowered down again, both men meeting him halfway. The only time his mind was even closely this dazed with bliss, was when he drowned it in music on the dance floor. _This feeling was that, multiplied by hundreds of other emotions_ , he thought, as his heart provided him with tonight's soundtrack of a rapid drumline, to which each of their moans and mewls tied to as a fitting harmony.

"Feels so ahhh..." The brunet panted, and Levi's blood rose a few degrees, his body trying to compensate for the hotness, as a few beads of sweat rolled down the sides of his face. He lifted himself on his knees, thrusting into Eren's beautiful body more, as the boy cried out into the hot air around them. "Hope you had fun fucking yourself on my cock. Get ready for your wish to come true brat," the raven almost hissed, as he grabbed brown messy hair strands, and pushed them forward, setting the boy onto all fours again. He waited for a second, to gaze upon Erwin, as he put his cock into Eren's mouth, the raven's arousal twitching at the sight, before he slipped into the brunet again, deciding to truly fuck him, until none of them can breathe anymore.

It didn't took long for him to build up, to a relentless pace, his excitement fueled even more, by the way his boyfriend was fucking Eren's mouth, the boy's soft lips curving perfectly around the hard arousal, as drool seeped down from both corners of his mouth. Levi had to look up the ceiling next, breathing heavily as he clenched his entire body, not wanting this experience to end just yet. He might've had managed to last a few minutes more, if Eren didn't suddenly tear at the bed sheets, a moment later, pushing himself hard on Levi, his body going rigid for a second, before he came all over the mattress, high pitched moans filling the room. 

"Oh my God, Eren..." Levi choked out, coming undone not a fraction of a second later. He leaned forward, slamming into Erwin's lips, as he came inside Eren.

It didn't took a lot more, the kiss, combined with the quick return of the brunet's wet mouth, to send the blond over the edge too,  the feeling of two pairs of lips, consuming all of him so hungrily, being too much.

 

******

 

Hot water  poured down over Eren's shoulders, as the steam created a cocoon of fog, impenetrable to the eye, over the glass walls of the shower. Two man were standing on each of his sides, their hands slowly roaming over his body, leaving miniature soap bubbles behind, as Eren's mind swam in the afterglow of his wet dreams coming alive. _No, this was actually better than any of his dreams,_ he thought, shaking his head in disbelief, forgetting for a second he was not alone.

Still trying to wrap his head around the events of tonight, he couldn't help but wonder if the two men felt the same way. If he was to be completely honest with himself, he would have to acknowledge, that for Erwin and Levi, this was very much just vanilla sex, a casual Wednesday probably, and he had to question, how in the hell would he ever be able to match up to their expectations.

"Was I...Was I good?" Eren spoke his thoughts out loudly. Where were they even coming from? What was his gloomy self doing here, right now, anyway? He should be thoroughly blissed-out, yet he was standing here, fighting with his own self-confidence. And losing.

The fingers on his body stopped their movements. "Eren...Fuck, are serious?", Levi sounded almost harsh, and Erwin threw him a small look of reprimand as he spoke to the boy "Look at us Eren..." He lifted the boys head by the chin, " Two grown ass man, smiling like some fools, using this stupid bath, as an excuse to indulge in your beautiful presence for just a little more. You were perfect...You are perfect Eren."

Erwin didn't want to hold back, knowing Eren was in sensitive headspace, and it pained him to see the troubled look on his wonderful face. Did they do something to provoke that? The blond realized, this would definitely prove to be, as much as a challenge for him, as for anyone else, considering Levi rarely let his emotional guard down, even during after care, and the need for verbal reassurances were rare, although Erwin made sure to never skip on them either way. But the adorable brunet wore his heart on his sleeve, and Erwin didn't want any of them to ever do anything to hurt it.

"This is literally the shortest I ever lasted, during any sex, ever." Levi said abruptly, him too absolutely hating the bitter look on Eren's face. "I had to look up the ceiling a few times, for fucks sake..."

Green eyes squinted from the laughter, as eloquent speech combined with dry humor, once again managed to gradually chase away any doubts from Eren's mind. "Maybe if you two toned down the foreplay, we could've all lasted a little longer," he countered, with a hint of sass peaking through his voice. 

"Lucky you, that this is your first time playing with us, otherwise that attitude will only get your ass cheeks red in the fut...ure" Levi stuttered for a second, as he realized the implication of his words. Was there a future? This may have been the only time, he got a chance to put, his not yet fully explored desires into motion.  He looked at Eren, trying to get an answer from his eyes.  Would he like to see them again? Technically speaking, he could still try this with others right? _Right?_

"I'll make sure to keep that in mind for the next time..." Eren blushed intensely with the answer.

Levi lingered for a bit, squinting his eyes, lips pressing together as he shook his head at the brunet, before he finally gave in, grabbing the boy's jaw and turning it to the side, pressing a peck onto red cheekbones. _Oh thank God..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Simper is my new favorite word.  
> Also, if you don't know what lemongrass smells like, you need to get your nose on the ASAP.  
> Also that abandoned railway-overpass is an actual place in my city, I used to make blurry car lights videos form up there lol.
> 
> Anyway...Thank you so much for reading!^^
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!  
> If you have a little time I would love to hear some feedback about how I'm doing so far?  
> You can leave kudos if you liked it (it's like giving me a pat on the back ❁)
> 
> Send me ideas, requests, or just talk to me at [My tumblr ](https://aanerd.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Hope you continue to enjoy the fic ^^


	11. Need to know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Wale- The Need To Know feat. SZA](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/171197525193/wale-the-need-to-know-feat-sza)

Relentless buzzing, kept coaxing sleepy green eyes open, heavy eyelids unable to stay pinned-apart for too long, as they kept helplessly falling down, before the vibrations lifted them up again.

Eren flailed his arms around the sofa bed, blindly slapping his palms over the pillows and covers, all in the effort to retrieve the cause of his annoyance, buried somewhere in the bed sheets.

"Mhm..." He murmured, after finally locating the plastic offender, as he pressed the button that made the buzzing go away.

A sound of busy traffic chatter greeted him, and for a few moments he listened to it half-awake, before the words that followed the noise, managed to fully get through to his consciousness. 

"Lovely to hear you moan again..." He heard a familiar unfazed voice, and Eren's eyes shot open.

"Sorry to wake you up, but it's almost 1 p.m...I guess you had a rough night?" Another softer voice spoke through the crackle of the phone line, and the remark was followed by two distinct chuckles.

It soon mixed together with a third one, as Eren joined in with his a sleepy laugh, eyes still closed, as he pressed the phone into the pillow with his face. "I did..." He said bashfully, "So...You woke me up because...?"

"We're taking you out to lunch...Or breakfast I guess. We are already on our way, so you might want to start getting ready..." Erwin spoke calmly.

"Wait, how soon will you be here?" The brunet propped himself on his elbows.

"Probably in about five minutes..." The same voice said, very matter-of-factly, but Eren could hear the smirk on his face.

"What?! I'm not even...." The boy tried to retort.

"Look, we called you like ten times, but apparently you sleep like you've been cursed by a jealous witch..." Levi cut into the middle of his sentence, "I'm hungry and tired of waiting, so you better start dressing, if you want to join us."

"Maybe we could come up and give you a few kisses, to wake you up?" The other man said, the teasing more directed towards Levi's remark, than the sleepy brunet.

"A fairy..." Eren corrected a bit absentmindedly, "Maleficent is a fairy, not a witch." He was met with a silence, that sounded like annoyance and held back laughter.

"Five minutes brat, be ready." He heard and it shifted his mind into full alertness.

 _Shit,_ Eren hung up without uttering another word as he jolted up from the bed, running across the room to his closet. After pulling over the first T-shirt his hand  had landed on, he was in the middle of clumsily forcing a sock onto his feet, when his gaze went around the room he was standing in. The apartment was a mess. With one sock and his lower body still only covered in close-fitting, orange boxers, he stomped over to the sofa again, dragging the bedding off, lifting its cushionless seat, and aggressively stuffing the comforter,sheets and pillow into the wooden compartment underneath it. He then proceeded to sweep two mugs from his workstation desk with one hand, making them repeatedly clink together, as he made his way to the kitchen. Placing them carelessly into the sink, he ran back and collected a teaspoon from the floor, _Why is there a fuckin...? Nevermind..._

"What on Earth are you doing?!" A groggy voice came from behind him, as Eren squeezed his eyes together in guilt, the spoon he just threw from the middle of the room, making an obnoxiously loud landing next to the two mugs, he previously put away. He completely forgot about his sleeping roommate.

"They are coming over...Literally right now.." He said, the slight panic in his voice, serving as a plausible justification for his rampage.

"So your demolishing our apartment?" Armin said, ,a little angry but more amused at the entire scene. It was about fucking time, his friend let himself care so much about someone, that making their apartment presentable seemed like an important task. "Let me help you out here..." He said taking over the dishes in the kitchen, "You..Please go get dressed...And also Eren, you might want to...Cover, uhm..."

But Eren didn't catch the rest of that sentence, as he ran like a banshee over to his closet again. Just as he managed to pull a pair of black leggings on, the doorbell rang. He considered for a second, asking them to wait for him outside, but worrying he might come off as rude, he just sprinted to the interphone in the hallway and pressed the button to open the door. It took no more than two minutes for Eren to hear the first knock, as the ground level apartment didn't give him any further opportunities, to prepare himself, physically or mentally.

He pulled on the door handle, fixing up what he thought was a natural looking smile, as his heart started having an unrestrained party in his chest.

One look at their faces was enough for Eren to realize something was not right. His suspicions were confirmed when muffled snorts erupted into laughter, that echoed through concrete stairs of the apartment building hall.

"What?" Eren's asked trying to pull off a cool-guy voice, causing even more giggles to flare-up from the two men at his door.

"Ok first of all nice shirt, as always...I don't even understand, where in the hell do you get them from." Levi spoke, as the tall blond next to him was still busy grinning. "Second of all, I would ask you about your other sock, but I think, I might just have a...pretty solid...Suspicion about its whereabouts..." He finished raising an eyebrows, wearing a devilish smile.

Eren glanced at the hallway mirror, mounted on the right wall. _Oh my god..._

The first shirt in his pile of clothes, had of course, had to be the newest addition to his bad jokes collection, which he had gotten just a few days ago.

The faintly white uppercase letters, that melted neatly in, with the light blue material of the t-shirt, were staring back at him from the mirror

_The best thing about a BDSM club is the good beat._

He snorted at his own joke, _I am definitely wearing this next weekend._

The smile plastered onto his face, quickly flipped over into a frown, as his eyes shifted down to the very obvious hard on, he didn't know he had up until this moment. Now Levi's comment made more sense and he instinctively pulled on the hem of his shirt to cover up, cursing silently as he turned away.

"Ok Marilyn, will you let us in, or should we stand here and wait for you to get your shit together?" Levi said, his usual mannerisms not letting Eren see, he meant the question quite genuinely.

"We'll just wait for you in the car..." Erwin smiled fondly, his amusement finally ceasing enough so he could speak.

"N-no..It's...I'll just..." Eren made an attempt to walk further into the apartment, but was stopped by a palm on his back, gently pushing him against the wall in the hallway. He caught a glimpse of blond hairs over his shoulder, as a knee found its way between his thighs.

"Or maybe you need a little help with getting ready?" The tall man whispered lowly into his right ear.

"Are you alone, brat?" Another voice materialized to his left, and he felt Levi's warm breath wash over the nape of his neck.

 _Armin..._ Eren's eyes shot wide open, remembering his roommate is literally a few steps away.

"N-no, I'm not..." The brunet sighed out. _Fuck_ , he wished he was...

"Tch." Levi's tongue clicked a bit further away, as both men took a few steps back from him.

Eren stood silent for a moment, gathering his bearings, before he realized they were waiting for him to instruct on, what should they do next.

"Um...This way." He murmured, as he lifted his hand lightly towards the doorless frame, leading into the living room, a few steps ahead.

They walked in, to see the smaller blond, tapping away on his laptop. He greeted the guests with a polite smile, bitterly remembering their awkward first encounter, before he stood up. "I guess I should properly introduce myself..." He said as he did so, the two men returning the sentiment.

Eren just ran past them, making his way straight for the bathroom.

 _I tried to warn him..._ Armin thought, feeling sorry, rather than amused at his friends continuous mishaps.

"Nice to officially meet you. We feel like we know you better than Eren at this point..." Erwin chuckled, as the two of them sat down on the sofa, while Armin offered coffee, making his way to the kitchen. "Hanji had not stopped talking about you. You are a true asset to their lab." The tall man complimented.

"Also, I know Petra wished you could be, _an asset_ to her, too." Levi snickered, leaning back on the sofa. The immediate scolding expression he was gifted with, coming from familiar blue eyes, told him, this was not an okay joke to make. "Sorry, I have a strange sense of humor. You kids made the right decision..." He said shortly after, turning his head towards Armin in the kitchen.

The blue eyes on the younger one shifted down, with a sigh, "I guess so, yeah..." He agreed, with obvious reluctance, as the image of warm, amber eyes appeared in his mind. The total of the three dates they went on, only resulted in both of them realizing their attraction to each other, would not be sufficient for the relationship to work out. Armin was a man of science, and Petra was a woman that knew exactly what she wanted, it was not hard for them to reach to a conclusion. Still it was funny, how facts had no power over ones emotions.

"Hey...Time makes everything better, right?" Erwin offered his reassurance, accepting the coffee cup from the boy's hand.

"Did I hear you guys mention Hanji?" Eren reappeared in the room, hair still dripping, as he scrubbed it with a towel.

"That was quick...." Levi teased, earning himself another reprimanding look from his boyfriend, this time a lot more light-hearted one though.

"Yeah..Uh, why?" Armin inquired, choosing to ignore their exchange for his own sake.

"So you're telling me you knew all along?" Eren looked at Armin wide eyed. He had spent his days, carefully re-thinking the words he spoke, so he wouldn't accidentally out Hanji to his friend.

Armin laughed softly, realizing now why the brunet had been acting so weirdly every time he mentioned his boss. "Not all along, actually. Hanji just recently told me. I kept inquiring about why they were so tired all the time, out of worry, and well, it turns out they have a double life." Armin giggled, "I was kept in the unknown, cause they didn't want to scare me, they said..." A series of chuckles now came from all four men.

Refreshed by the cold shower, and clad in more suitable clothing, Eren found himself barely holding back a grin, as he sat down in the back seat of a car, he'd gotten very familiar with the night before.

This time, both men assumed their positions in the front though, and the car was soon on its way with all three of them sharing a similar _"post-good-sex"_ expression, plastered all over their afternoon sun lit faces.

As Eren zoned out, big eyes slightly squinting with the pictures moving way to fast, on the other side of the car window, he realized something else felt very familiar with this setting. The road they were currently on, was taking them out of town.

"I thought we were going to get lunch somewhere?" Eren inquired, poking his head between the two front seats.

"Yes, we do. In or house. There's an entire setup in the trunk, ready to be assembled on the dining table. We weren't sure what you liked so we ordered a bit of everything." Erwin said, smiling at the boy from the driver's seat.

"Oh, I see..." The brunet nodded.

"Don't sound so disappointed brat," Levi laughed fondly, at the tuft of brown hair on his left. "I promise we'll take you out on a fancy dinner date someday...We just wanted to talk to you in a non-hectic setting for once."

Eren shrunk into his own shoulders. Not only was he not disappointed, but his heart tightened a bit, at the thought of Erwin and Levi caring to spend that kind of time with him. "That sounds awesome, actually." He confessed shyly.

 

*******

 

The car took a careful turn to the right, the mildly downhill angle forcing the driver to slow down, as he circled around the familiar house, before making its stop, at what seemed to be a private parking lot. Looking at it from a far, a few minutes ago, the small but wide house was barely visible, hidden between red and golden shrubs, the bushes covering it's lower half and mustard yellow-leaved trees, towering over them to cover the rest. Standing now in front of it, Eren kept the same impression, it was designed in a way to not be imposing, light gray paint, with a roof in just a slightly darker shade, a few windows on the front, no fancy carvings or decorations in the cement, no colored details on any of the sharply rectangular walls. It was a textbook example of minimalism. What _did_ liven up the dull atmosphere of the house, and was probably the reason why it looked so lifeless in the first place, was the two rows of deep red and orange colored shrubbery leading up to the front door. Upon closer inspection, Eren noticed small dark-blue, berry-like fruits hanging off from the thin branches. The color combination was quite interesting, he concluded, the natural occurrence of opposite shades of the color wheel, as he slowly walked towards the door, hands running through the autumn leaves as he passed by.

"What kind of a fruit is this?" He tore of a tiny drupelet off, and brought it to his own face. He threw a worried look towards Levi immediately after, realizing there was a possibility he might just get yelled at for doing so.

"It's a chokeberry." A blond man spoke through a snicker.

Eren rolled his eyes, "Of course it is...Does everything needs to be kinky with you two?" He shook his head in amusement.

"They are actually very tasty and most importantly, extremely healthy... Go on, try it." Levi explained, a tad condescendingly , the last part of the sentence sounding more like a dare, than an encouragement, and Eren wasn't sure if he should believe the raven or not. It turned out he hesitated for too long, as the small fruit was showed into his mouth together with the tip of a few pale fingers.

"So?" Levi smirked, way too close to green eyes.

"Mmph.." Eren's mouth got silenced for a second, before he collected himself and smiled, "It's uh...It tastes very nice..." He let his tongue run across Levi's fingertips once more, secretly basking in the pride of being able to return the flirting this time.

"If both of you could keep it in your pants, at least until we get through the front door, that would be greatly appreciated..." Erwin chuckled, never being able to get enough of watching the two men interact like this, and even more thoroughly enjoying Eren's growing ability, to square up to their teasing.

"Yes, sir..." He heard as, wet fingers drew a line across the nape of his neck, and Erwin shivered lightly from the cold wind blowing over it. "Levi..." He grabbed the offending hand from behind his back,, and pulled it forward together with the raven-haired menace. "You are turning my wonderful man into a teenager..." He glanced back towards a smiling Eren, as he lightly pushed Levi into the house.

Walking through the hallway, fragments of memories from last night, fixed up onto their appropriate place, like a still image superimposed over a real location. Eren held back from smiling, not wanting to look foolish, as they all stopped to take their shoes off. There was definitely tension, an awkward but also delicious one, whirling around between them and the brunet wondered if the two men were also thinking about what went on here, last night.

A small noise, made by Levi clearing his throat, before he offered to take Eren's coat, to hang it in the closet, told the brunet everything he needed to know. He was almost hoping they would continue what they attempted to start back at his apartment, as Erwin passed by brushing his now coatless shoulder,  but the two men just went on to walk down the hall, smirking, as Eren lingered for a second, before following suit.

Except a wide, cream colored sofa in the middle, a black computer table next to it and the TV on the opposite wall, there was not much furniture in the living room. The same, unassuming style was clearly present as much on the interior, as it was on the exterior, and Eren could hear his own footsteps, slightly echoing off of the walls. This would be a nightmare for his drum-filled, often ear-jarring taste in music, he thought, as a few peculiar details managed to rob at his attention. The first thing that caught his curious eyes, were the two, huge, dark, opaque curtains covering the entire wall behind the sofa.  Instead of a light switch, Erwin walked over to the covered wall and pressed a button, making the curtains gracefully glide open.  The revelation, left Eren breathless, as he took in the wide, glass surface and the breathtaking view of their backyard behind it, the foliage blooming in it, in every shade of fall, hidden from anyone's sight but theirs, by the tall Gingko trees surrounding it. Green irises answered to the saturated colors with a golden spark, as he immediately plotted out a video shooting session, starring the two men in their own small paradise. "Ok this is...So fucking pretty." Eren muttered, understanding now the reason behind the pale walls, and empty rooms. Who would need  flashy furniture, when a room had a view like this.

"Just...Why on earth, is the sofa turned the other way around?" He asked jokingly, looking at the piece of furniture, turned towards the TV. If this was his house, he would throw the TV out and just spent his days staring at the backyard.

Levi approached the couch and rolled it over in one swift movement, so now the back rest was acting as a sitting area, that faced toward the window.

Eren laughed, as his legs carried him towards it. He sat down, the two man following his motions immediately after, and placing themselves on each of his sides.

Another thought roamed around his mind and he looked at the two men, opening his mouth to voice it, before the blond man cut his attempt short, "Yes the bedroom has the same kind of glass wall behind that curtain..." He said reading into green eyes, like a magician, as he smiled knowingly.

Eren never ceased to be amazed by him.

"It's Levi's genius idea, to add a little warmth to our sadly furnished apartment." Erwin explained.

"I like open spaces ok?  Can't stand being shoved into a corner by useless clutter" Levi defended, sensing the back-handed compliment from his boyfriend. "You can't deny that, this is way better than, cutting up those same trees, just to put them inside your house as dust-gathering material." Levi's voice came a bit aggitated, and Eren was able to tell they probably had this discussion a million times before.

"I get it...Sort off.," The brunet said with a genuine smile, reveling in the fact of how,  Levi seemed to be a tightly sealed box, that once opened, hid never ending presents and surprises. "Although the artwork on the walls, kinda just adds to the sterile Gallery feeling." That was the second thing Eren noticed upon walking in. And as he listened to Erwin chuckle at his remarks, he took another look at the wide variety of styles and mediums depicting everything from abstract squiggles to very realistic portraits, that were scattered everywhere from the hallway to the living room. The brunet couldn't exactly explain how, but their differences were working really well together, every corner of the room having its own little story to tell.

"They are all made by the kids that went through our center. We tend to encourage them to pursue their hobbies and well, sometimes the results are amazing...On other times, less so..." Levi confessed, eyes squinting like he was trying to push back on the feeling of pride that was bubbling up inside him.

He was silent for a few seconds, contemplating something before he suddenly spoke up again.

"I grew up in a tiny, ugly room, that smelled like three days worth of garbage. After my mom died and my uncle took me in, that was my life for many, many years. He was a piece of shit...My uncle..." silvery eyes averted their angry gaze, away from the two other people in the room..

This was Erwin's idea. Even though Levi hated talking about that part of his life, he couldn't deny Erwin had a great point when he suggested it. Just as he did it sometimes, for the young ones in the center, he was now trying to tell some of it to Eren, hoping the brunet might just feel a bit more comfortable with, telling them his own story and they could get to the bottom of the entire Dina scene from last night.

Levi recognized the hurt in Eren's look, he saw it a thousand times before, and he hated it with the same passion every time he faced it. It was one of those _The-people-who-should've-taken-care-of-me-completely-fucked-it-up_ tales and he wondered what will it reveal this time?

"I'm sorry..." Eren said, before pressing his lips together in empathy. "You know, actually...I can very much relate to the loss of the parents part."

Erwin and Levi looked at each other, being equally hesitant and eager to know more.

"Life's a bitch, isn't it?" Levi smiled sadly, nudging Eren with his shoulder.

Eren knew he would eventually have to explain himself and the cry-yelling that took place the previous evening. He let out a deep sigh...

"You don't need to tell us anything more, if it's too personal...We just...We wanted to see if there is anything in our power that we can do to help. " Erwin comforted, as both men nodded wearing the softest of smiles.

"If you guys are not mind readers...Although, sometimes I think you are..." Eren looked at the tall blond on his right, "I don't think you can help...But if you care to listen I will tell you, sharing is good right?"

He smirked, as the two man laughed lightly.

"You're damn right kid." Levi concurred.

The brunet skimmed through the events that lead to his obsession with the woman from the club, not wanting to darken, their skittish moods from before too much. He explained the mystery around his parents death, and the absolute devastation he felt for not ever being able to find out, what exactly happened. He told them about Mikasa's silly games, turning into real-life adventures, the way every door in their tiny town got shut in their faces, whenever they reached out for more information, and he wrapped the story up, with a promise to never give up searching for the truth.

 _This was not good..._ Levi thought as he looked into Eren's eyes full of naive determination. His experience with troubled youth, including his own past, had enabled him to quickly see through words and recognize behavior, that had a potential to be destructive to one's life. The brunets obsession was surely one of those behaviors.

A thought started to form in his mind...He...He could help Eren. _Yeah._ But should he?

By now, Levi made a habit of intervening, whenever he saw a chance to help, to turn someone's life for the better, or at least more bearable, as the work in his center threw stories at him, that he couldn't ignore. His efforts ended up with a plethora of court cases, against neglective and abusive parents, and the crushing fact that he won himself more enemies, than he won actual cases. It never stopped him though, as he was unafraid to use the other side of the law to his advantage, when necessary.

But, this was different, it was Eren. And because it was Eren, it felt more personal than any "case" he ever had to handle. The potential for a disaster was there, and so was the chance that he would cause more harm than good...Maybe he shouldn't...

"I might be able to help you..." Levi said, running over his own rational thoughts with a steamroller. How could he stand by and do nothing, when he had ways of helping? Even when things didn't turn out like he wanted them too, he never regretted the fact that he at least tried. "Levi..."

There it was, the sound of reason, in a form of a worried blond.

"I know..." His silver eyes shot a fierce glance onto blue ones.

The blond man just sighed out in frustration.

"I have some...Friends..." He turned to Eren again.

"Yeah, friends...Let's call them that..." Erwin snarked.

"...Fine... Connections...Straight up criminals from my equally criminal past...." Levi hissed out."Nothing you already don't know about me..."

Erwin just looked at him, face full of concern.

"...They might be able to get their hands on some police records, " Silver eyes shifted back to green, "You know...With details of the accident and such? But only if you are sure you want to know the truth, even if it might be nothing."

Eren stood up, "You could do that?!" He was able to feel the quickening pulse in his head, "Wait...How..Isn't that...?"

"Illegal? Yes, very. I wouldn't like to concern you with details. The less you know the better." Levi crudely explained.

Eren's eyes were running over the options, changing from excited to concerned, as the thoughts of what this might entail, stormed through his mind. "I don't want to get you in trouble, but...I...I, don't know what to say." He knew exactly what he wanted to say, but he couldn't help the feeling of selfishness, trapping his words behind his teeth. Not only could he put Levi in danger, and stir up things with his relationship with Erwin, but this issue was not exclusively limited to just Eren. If anything bad comes out of this, the pain would extend to Mikasa, Hannes, hell even that woman, Dina, whose level of involvement he was not yet sure of.

 "I think both of you should sleep on this." A calm voice suggested. "Besides, we have a fridge full of food waiting for us. You both must be really hungry by now?" Erwin turned to Eren, giving him his fondest smile in an effort to tone down the turmoil in the brunet's mind.

After he got a smile back, blue eyes turned to silver. _I will deal with you later,_ they said.

 

There was barely any spot on the table that wasn't covered with colorful dishes, bowls of fresh fruits and salads and a few shiny metal platings full of bite-sized food, held together with toothpicks. All of it looked so... _Healthy?_   Eren thought as he scanned the table, eyes stopping quite a few times, as he tried to decipher what each thing was, considering his diet consisted mostly of classic take-out foods and protein shakes after workout.

"I don't even know what half of these things are..." He laughed, "Where do I even start?"

"Here," Erwin picked up a toothpick, "Watermelon and feta-cheese, dipped into a few spices. Say _aaah_..." The tall man snickered, leaning his head on his free hand, as he held up the tiny food bite with the other.

"Gosh, fine..." Eren rolled his eyes, as he opened his mouth. How did he suddenly end up in a cheesy romance flick?

"Now this!" A smaller hand offered, as shiny, gray eyes glimmered excitably, the brunet barely even finishing the previous bite of a delicious salty-sweet treat.

"I am not opening my mouth until you tell me what that is, " Eren eyed the brownish, caramelized ball with suspicion, not being able to figure out what the hell is he looking at.

"It just some sweet potato, grilled in coconut sugar. Don't worry it doesn't bite." Levi's eyebrows jumped up and down, "Like some of us do..." He added,  leaning in, over the table to bring the ball of food to Eren's lips.

"To which one of your many fetishes, am I playing along to right now?" The brunet laughed out, before he took the food from the ravens fingers, in one bite.

"To several actually," Erwin commented as cool as the refrigerated piece of avocado, Eren got teasingly pushed into his mouth next.

A few moments of silence followed, as Eren chewed on his food, as well as on the sentence that had just entered his ears.

"He's joking by the way." Levi interjected, amused by the expression on the brunets face. "No feeding fetishes here...Although in certain context,  food can be fun to play with..." He grazed Eren's lips, with a minty, berry treat, and as the brunet opened his mouth he pulled it away, taking it to his own mouth, and swallowing it in a comically seductive manner, eliciting a small smile from his blond boyfriend.

"I think we might just have a fetish for you as a whole, Eren..." Erwin chuckled.

"Speaking of which...I would like to add a new bullet point to my likes, now that you mention it," Levi eyed the brunet before turning to Erwin.

"If you are thinking about the recent changes in our sub/dom dynamics that's already in there..." the blond stated, trying to read his lovers eyes.

"Oh I know that...I was referring to adding filming, into the list of my kinks. In bold letters please." His piercing stare was now back on the wide eyed boy.

"Oh..." Erwin's eyes narrowed. "That's right. Will add that to both of our sides. What about your Eren?"

The brunet gulped audibly, as all the possibilities, temporarily flooded his ability to speak. Yeah he could definitely get behind that. Literally.

"I-if, I could be the one recording..." Eren finally said, eyes gleaming with barely contained excitement.

"That sounds like the perfect scenario for our next play-date," Erwin smirked at Levi, as if asking for confirmation.

"Fuck yes." Was the ravens sophisticated answer.

 

*******

"Levi..." A strong voice called as soon as the brown haired boy slammed the car door shut.

A loud sigh came from the passenger seat. "Let me save you some breath Erwin" Levi said, voice equally serious as the blonds.

"I can see three ways Eren's life could go from this point on." He started his explanation knowing exactly what his boyfriend was _leviing_ him about.

"Either all of this is in his imagination, and there is nothing sinister going on behind the circumstances of his parents death. In that case he needs proof to have closure. I can provide that." Erwin just looked at the road in front of him, eyes scrunched in disapproval, as he listened to the raven.

"Or he could be right, and there is very severe reason, why the people in his tiny town conspired with their step-dad to keep him and his sister in the darkness. In which case Eren will need proof to have closure and move on. _I can provide that_." He repeated the same conclusion, emphasizing the last few words.

"The third scenario is, we all play the game of ignorance, and let him search after the information that may or may not even exist, ensuring he never has that closure he obviously, desperately needs."

Thick eyebrows softened their narrow scowl."I...You're right." Erwin admitted. "I wish you didn't feel the need to interfere, though. This is really not our business...But I understand you, even if I disapprove." The feeling was nothing new to Erwin, but each time it happened he was no less worried.. "Don't you think we could at least, consult his step-father first?"

"And say what? Sorry to interrupt your dinner sir, but is there any secret conspiracy going on about Eren's parents, that you might want to share with us? Oh, who are we? You know, just a couple of guys that recently realized, their kink is making your step-son happy, after having mind blowing sex with him. Bon appetite by the way!" Levi's animated sarcasm never failed to make Erwin both very annoyed and very amused. This was not the occasion to grin at it though.

"This could produce some serious consequences so I hope you are ready, cause I'm not sure I am, and maybe Eren isn't either." Erwin pointed out, glancing to his boyfriend with pleading eyes, knowing there was actually no room for arguing about this anymore.

"I know. If there is something to uncover, I will take full responsibility." Silver eyes narrowed with determination, "Fuck...I mean, wouldn't you want to know?"

"I would." The blond concluded with a defeated sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back at it again, with the shirt puns (￣ω￣)


	12. Mindcircus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Way Out West - Mind Circus (Gabriel and Dresden remix edit)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmiaU-yT8Ws)

It was so foolish of Eren to think the last few days, would finally give him some sort of emotional relief and enable him to quiet down his tiringly active mind. If anything, he was more restless than before, the knowledge that he might get real, undeniable facts concerning his parents death, was causing his feelings to spread evenly, on each side of the spectrum of fear and happiness.

Sleep became a difficult task each night and when he managed it, his dreams were so lightweight, images from the past and potential future, slashing through each other, he would constantly get woken up by the traffic outside, leaving him agitated and sighing in exhaustion, as he woke up every morning wondering if he even slept at all.

He didn't say anything to Mikasa or Armin yet, knowing their opinions without ever asking, as he muddled over his own thoughts in silence, wondering if he was making the right choices, or just driving everyone to more hurt and pain, by chasing after his own, possibly foolish sense of what was right.

 

"Hi...Are you busy?" He called the one person, he felt could give him the honest answers he needed right now, as he straightened up in his bed, on one particularly foggy morning, in the middle of the week, feeling more tired than ever.

"Hey Eren, no I am not, what's wrong?" A mild, concerned voice radiating affection, made Eren's eyes fill up with tears.

_Damnit....Get it together...._

He took a deep breath in to hold them back, "Will you be at the club today? I would like to drop by and talk...To you...If that's ok?" The brunet hoped the man would understand his need, for them to speak alone.

"I am here actually, finishing some paperwork, so you can come right now if you want to?" The offer came through the phone, it's soothing effect not getting lost, as it travelled across the radio waves.

 _Yes..That's exactly what I want,_ "I'll take a cab and be there in 10." Eren said, already getting up from his bed.

******

 

A small glass of rum was standing on the bar, Eren noticed, as he slowly made his way across the room. It was way before opening time, so club Titan was still empty and the lights were on, giving an entirely new vibe to the usually shadow - colored, esoteric atmosphere. The gentle hued, beige walls and light wooden furniture, were defying every stereotype Eren associated with a fetish club. Everything was tasteful and classy...Just like the man that emerged from the doorway, and was currently standing behind the bar.

"You sounded like you needed a drink." Erwin eyed the usually cheery boy. It was not a pleasant feeling to see his gloomy face again, especially they way it was accentuated by dark circles around his eyes. "Talk to me Eren."

"Am I bad person for wanting to know the truth?" The brunet sat down with a heavy sigh.

"Of course not..." Erwin tried to catch green eyes with his own, unsuccessfully.

"Yeah?  So the fact that I can't find it in me, to decide against asking your boyfriend, to do an incredibly risky and potentially harmful thing, to a lot of people, just to satisfy my curiosity is...is..." Eren stared angrily at the glass of liquor in his hands, twirling it aggressively between his fingers, making it seem like, the sheer, caramel-shade liquid, was the sole culprit of all of his troubles. "Please tell me, just how much trouble could Levi get into because of me?" Green eyes now looked up, only to see the blond man smiling.

"Our boyfriend..." Erwin corrected.

"Our boyfriend..." The boy repeated slowly, "That makes me feel even worse about everything." He threw back the drink without flinching.

"Look Eren, when Levi decides to help someone, there is usually nothing that could keep him from doing so. Even if you say no...He would still, most likely, obtain as much information as he could, unbeknownst to me and you, and keep it somewhere secure, in case you ever change your mind." Erwin tried to explain the inner workings of a man, he knew by now, better than himself.  "Any trouble he gets in, is entirely on him, and it wouldn't be his first time either. His friends are...Efficient and they have ways to make it in and out of police archives unnoticed, but the risk is always there. Which is why we always keep a lawyer at arm's length..." Erwin chuckled lightly, stretching both of his hands up, gesturing to the space around him.

"Oh, wait...Dog-man is a lawyer?" Eren asked puzzled, "Do _all of you_ have double lives?"

"Don't you?" Erwin smiled, pinching the brunet's soft cheeks, "We all are regular humans here Eren, with regular, boring, day-time jobs, daring to indulge in our fantasies, when the "boring" part of our day is over."

Eren sneered at the statement . Everything about Erwin and Levi was the opposite of regular and boring, no matter the time of the day. The more he gotten to know about them, the more intense was the growth of his curiosity, and  he only wished to uncover further details about everything that makes them who they are, each time he learned a new thing. Hopefully, there were going to be more opportunities for that, and he was not just about to kill every chance for that.

"Who are those "friends" anyway?" He felt the need to ask, not truly expecting to get a satisfactory answer.

"Not anyone you should rack your brains over."  Erwin said, maintain a casual tone, "A bunch of folks Levi helped out once or twice, that now owe him quite a few favors. It's amazing to see that being nice in the world of criminals, can grant you more respect than threats and violence. Although, sometimes the other two are also helpful..." The blond shrugged, refilling Eren's glass.

"So was Levi..." The brunet hesitated.

"A bad person?" Erwin finished the sentence for him. "He would say yes, and in the eyes of the law he certainly was." Blue eyes tendered, mimicking the fondness in his voice, "But he did what he did to survive, and I believe by now, he repaid his dues ten times over. But, you'll have to ask him if you want to know more...And fair warning, he hates being asked about it."

Eren smiled faintly. _One of my boyfriends is an ex-criminal, the other is an owner of a fetish club. Mikasa will be thrilled._

"So, you won't hate me, if I ask him to get those information for me?"

Erwin sighed, "I will be honest with you Eren. If you are asking me, do I dislike when he reaches out, all the way to his past to do something incredibly reckless for someone else? The answer is yes, I do. " His voice took a more serious resonance. "But that has little to do with you and I know he can handle himself, and if things go bad we have ways to fix that. What I am more worried about here is you...And the people in your life Eren. Are you ready to deal with the consequences of whatever it is that you find out? What if it's nothing?" A large palm reached out, landing on nervous fingers, that were tapping restlessly on the counter.

"I just can't...Care anymore.." Eren's eyes glazed over with tears again, at the realization, "About other people...I just need to know, whatever it is, I want to know, so I can close that chapter of my life and just have some peace." The last few words got muffled by his teary voice, as he continuously tried to stop the teardrops flowing over his face, by wiping them with his coat sleeve.

"And that is completely fair Eren." The boy felt warm fingers on his cheekbones again, now helping his efforts, as they gently caressed his skin.

"The fact that you are here, worrying about Levi or me resenting you, and battling with yourself, actually just tells me that you _do care_ about others." Erwin consoled, "It's just that, right now, you decided to finally care about yourself more."

Eren sniffled, leaning into the other man's hand, not being able to speak, as the words tangled into the lump in his throat.

"You're a good kid Eren, and you deserve to have freedom from things, that put a damper on your life ." The tall man said, finally catching the brunet's gaze. He really hoped Eren believed him, as glass-green eyes stared at him wordless.

"If you don't have other plans, you could let us make an attempt at lightening your mood?" Erwin said smiling like a mischievous child, and Eren felt just the tinniest snippets of sadness, shyly starting to crumble away.

"Tomorrow night, around 8 p.m.?" Erwin suggested.

"Sounds great...I'll uh...Bring the camera." Eren said bashfully, taking a bite at his lower lip, as he observed the beautiful man's face, light up like fireworks.

 

*****

 

That night when he got home, Eren texted a short message to Levi.

 

_[Eren]: If you still think you can help me, I would like to ask you, to find out whatever you can, about my parents..._

_[Levi]: You got it kid..._

_..._ Was the even shorter answer that came seconds later. Eren read it, with the tightness of anxiety, grasping at is throat. He was just about to put the phone down, when another message vibrated in his palm.

_[Levi]: And don't worry about me. Get some beauty sleep brat, we'll need you pretty and well rested for tomorrow. Good night._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is short and kind of sad, but work has been kicking my butt this week =_=  
> I still wanted to update as promised, so I separated this part from all the smut that is coming next chapter huehuehuehue
> 
> Thank you for reading and bearing with me :)


	13. I get my kicks like you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Kicks - Fka twigs](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/171693079983/kicks-fka-twigs-lyrics)
> 
> Hope you are ready for some light BDSM - roleplay, with sub! Levi for the soul.

_Talk about distraction from your problems..._ Eren snickered, slumping down on the sofa after he successfully managed to force-close the zipper of his backpack.

He spent the first half of the day, lounging on that very couch, daydreaming about the events that would take place later tonight, trying to conjure up as many ideas as he could, in order to make this exciting evening, even more awesome. As a videographer, he was good at what he did, and he wanted to showcase that, hoping that for once, maybe he could manage to leave two, certain someones speechless. So the other half of the day, passed in gathering props and scribbling lighting setups on paper, and by the time he remembered to lift his head and look at the clock, it was already 7:30. p.m. Minutes later, a shower spurted cooling water over his head, and Eren stood there not moving, eyes closed, in a worthless attempt to dial down on the intensity at which his body flamed, the closer he got to stepping out of the apartment.

Staring at the bag now, it looked as if it was ready to burst at any moment, and the brunet laughed, relating to it a bit too much, as he picked it up and stepped through the door with his heart in his throat.

"You're moving in brat?" Silver eyes turned back, examining the object that seemed to be filled to its maximum capacity, as it landed heavily on the back seat of the car, followed by an equally clumsy entrance of a green-eyed brunet.

Eren couldn't mutter out a single word, as his stare froze on the raven's face, "Holy fuck, you look beautiful..." He sighed out in a half-whisper, hand involuntarily moving forward, reaching towards the man, as if he needed to check, if the perfect face in front of him was indeed human.

"Eren...If you put a single finger on my face and fuck up my make-up, I swear I'll tie you to a rope, and make the car drag you on the asphalt, until we reach our house." Levi said, eyes sparkling with serious intent, the discretely winged eyeliner melting into silver eye-shadow paired with fake eyelashes, all adding to the dramatic gaze. "And thank you...." His deep green lips curved into a smirk, "I figured if you're going to have my orgasm face, immortalized on film, at least I should make it look as pretty as I can."

"You're orgasm face is pretty," the blond man interjected from the driver's seat, flashing a side-glance to his left.

The single, most meticulously filled in eyebrow, quirked up playfully, before dark hairs turned back to settle into their seat. "I know..."

Eren kept staring at them through the rear-view mirror, for the entire ride,  glancing at one, then the other, wondering what additional , nosebleed-inducing tricks, did they plan to pull out from their sleeves tonight.

After what felt like moments, the three men were stepping out of the car and hurriedly made their way towards the comforting warmth of the inside.

"I'm really curious about the contents of your backpack Eren." A tall blond noted, as he held the front door open for the brunet and the bulky baggage on his back.

"Oh yeah about that...I uh, have sort of a setup in mind, as far as the filming goes. It's just some technical things to make the footage look uh..More fancy? Is that ok?" Eren half-lied, eyes filled with hardly contained excitement, already bracing himself for their surprised faces, that were sure to come in about a half an hour. At least, that's what he hoped was going to happen.

"Absolutely, do you want to go and set it up now?" Erwin prompted, as calm as ever, before he turned to Levi. "Just enough time for us to get ready too."

The three of them walked down the hallway, Erwin and Levi stopping at a door, placed on the left of it. "You know where the bedroom is..." The blond smiled, before they both disappeared into the mysterious room.

 _Oh-ok...We can do this..._ Eren sighed, making an attempt at reason, setting his backpack down, by the door as he observed the room, "Levi sure hates furniture." The brunet giggled into his own chin, as he walked across the almost empty room. This worked to his advantage however, as he had plenty of space to position everything without too much effort.

Pulling the heavy curtains just slightly, a strip of moonlight ran across the bed, that was covered in a very soft looking, pastel fabric. _Perfect,_ he thought, not forgetting about the beautiful view on the other side. It was factored into his plans for tonight.

The next thing were the candles. He dragged the night stand over to the far right of the room and placed four, small pink glasses full of wax on top of it. He lit them up one by one, the smell of raspberry and chili peppers, starting to gradually take over the entire space and Eren breathed in deeply, as he moved on to the next thing.

He pulled out a small rectangular light, placing it on the ground, in the diagonally opposite corner, so it was right across the bed. A small, gray piece of cloth was placed over it, and when Eren pressed the ON switch, a soft, blurry glow, tinted the entire corner of the bed area, into violet.

"What the..." He heard a voice come from the right. "This is very pretty Eren." The brunet almost expected a sarcastic comment, and was thrilled to see silver eyes roam through the room in genuine admiration.

"Well...Both of you will fit in then" He indulged his own need for awkward flirting, as he glanced back and forth between the two men, both of them looking suspiciously naked, under their bathrobes."I'll need a few minutes more, just to set up the camera." Eren said, managing to peel his gaze away.

"You really amaze me Eren. Please, take all the time you need."  Erwin commented, as he grabbed the raven's hand a led him out of the room. "You can just open the door when you're ready."

The two men closed the door behind them, as Levi made a few steps around the taller man, to stand in front of him, "Ok we need some cooler ideas for this..." He looked up into blue eyes.

"Oh I have the perfect idea." He quickly dragged Levi back to their props room, to make a few last minute changes to their current plans.

Minutes later, silver eyes glared angrily at the beautifully crafted, black, velvet-covered plastic face mask, "Did you not see me spend an hour putting make up on? You go ahead but I am not wearing that..."  He shifted his scowl from the object that was dangling from Erwin's hands in front of his face, to blue eyes, catching them roll in annoyance.

"Fine...No masks this time then. But you should really reconsider than green color on your mouth." The blond ran a thumb over his boyfriends soft lips, getting a bit surprised as it left no color residue on the pad of it.

"It's kiss proof..." Levi explained.

"Better hope it's bite proof too...." Erwin leaned in, testing the resistance of the tint, with an unnecessarily long, wet smooch.

"You're such an asshole sometimes." Levi had to complain, but only after enjoying the kiss a bit too much.

They revised their plan together, their words being disrupted only by the clanking of clothes hangers, thumping of box lids, and the inevitable, occasional back talk from the raven. A muffled laugh followed after each one, as Erwin imagined how this would only make, shutting his boyfriend up even more enjoyable. Starting from now.

Erwin stuffed two tiny things into his pocket, without Levi noticing, before he used his own body to push Levi against the wall.  "One last thing, before we go." He whispered in a deep tone against the short hairs of Levi's undercut.

The glittery-eyed man gasped, feeling a hand between his legs, the palm of it stroking over his clothed length, that was slowly starting to react to the attention. "Stop...What are you....?" His voice cracked in the midst of his retort.

"There. Now you're ready." Erwin pulled away, eyeing Levi's bulge with devilish satisfaction.

"Fucking asshole..." Levi panted, before walking through the door, that Erwin so considerately held open for him.

The two man came back,  to see a strip of light coming out from their bedroom, indicating all was ready for their entrance. A sudden rush of blood acted as a light switch to both of their eyes, and it took two deep breaths from each to settle into their mind spaces for tonight.

Levi grabbed the handle and walked in first.

 

Eren's legs threatened to give out underneath him, the muscles holding them up, turning into goo, as he observed the man, making his way across the room. A white, see through robe, hems secured with thick lace of the same color, was fluttering through the air, just barely covering porcelain ass cheeks. It was tied close, with a silk-like sash around the ravens waist, and the only reason Eren managed to stay upright on his two feet, was that Levi's almost fully formed erection was covered in a thin lace fabric, the piece of delicate lingerie barely holding onto the ravens hips.

The man hadn't gifted him a single glance, before walking to the bed and climbing up, settling with his back leaning on the bed board and knees bent to one side. He adjusted his robe to elegantly fall over and circle his legs, after which silver eyes lifted up, to look directly at the brunet.

Eren almost forgot what he was supposed to be doing, and it took him a second to catch up with the fact that Levi was actually staring at the lens of the camera. He realized, sighing out in huge disappointment, that he missed out on capturing the entirety of Levi's grand entrance, as he pressed record, his eyes now concentrating on the image filling his display. The shadows created by the light from the candles, were digging deep into each small curving, of the ravens perfect body, and Eren had to take the camera off from the stand, to bring it closer to the man's face, following the strip of moonlight down his body, lingering a few seconds on each part.

He almost dropped the damn thing on the bed, as the door opened for the second time. The lens followed after the beautiful lace clad presence, as he bounced up from his seat and made a few quick steps forward, stopping an inch in front of a man, dressed in white pants, brown belts coming out from underneath them and covering his entire torso, before disappearing again under a dark, green cloak. The color matched the lips of the shorter man, and Eren noticed they were quivering in the similar fashion, one from the natural flow of air, the other from restraint, as Levi stood there, still motionless, seemingly waiting for a command or permission to move closer.  

"Your back..." Levi whispered, after a few moments, Eren following his stare, as the camera filled with silver than blue irises.

"I promised you didn't I?"  The camera tilted down to the blonds lips, after which Eren took a few steps back, and zoomed out to have this entire, completely surreal scene, in his frame. His heart was beating so hard, he could swear the camera mic would pick it up. Of course they had to outdo him.

The blond man lifted the ravens chin to his own, with a single finger placed underneath it, "I missed you on the battlefield." He said, before passionately kissing him.

Eren scooted closer slowly, on his tippy-toes, catching the exact moment Levi's stance softened, turning completely pliant, as Erwin dragged his lips lewdly across Levi's.

"How are your injuries?" Erwin whispered against the shorter man's face, after breaking the kiss, Eren moving back once again to catch them walk towards the bed.

"Almost healed." Levi answered concisely, revealing a faintly, out-of-breath voice.

"I got you a present..." Blue eyes lit up, as two tiny shimmering objects made their way out of his pocket.

 _Earrings?_ Eren zoomed in to try and get a better look at the mysterious black gems, hanging from what looked like metal pins. _Clip-on earrings? Oh wait..._

"May I?" The blond man asked. 

"Please...Sir." Silver eyes seemed completely smitten, and Eren moved the camera closer to Levi's face. Maybe it was the pinkish glow of the candles, or the soft violet light from the ground, but Eren would swear the porcelain skin was heating up with a red tint.

 The hands holding the "earrings" moved to the side of the raven's face, before sliding down, as the camera followed them, pushing the fabric off of Levis left shoulder, before slowly moving to the other and doing the same thing.

Eren traced the lace gliding down Levi's toned arm muscles, before the cloth loosened more a moment later, a clear sign that the sash had gotten untied, and Levi was sitting on the bed, legs dangling off the sides, only in underwear. The brunet backed away again to catch the full view.

_Fucking hell..._

He could not come up with this kind of shit even in his very, naively exaggerated  dreams. _Will I have a heart attack in the next few minutes? Stay tuned to find out._ His ironic inner voice came to the rescue, as he tried to calm himself enough to continue. He was looking over the camera now, as Erwin knelt down, and nudged Levi's legs open with his elbows, hungrily looking him up and down for a few, very, sexually charged seconds, and Levi followed his look with his own, leaning his body on his stretched arms behind his back.

Eren's viewfinder filled with the shiny jewel, slowly travelling up Levi's slightly slanted abs, before it ended  its teasing journey, by getting clamped tightly around a soft, rosy nipple.

"Oh my god..." Eren whispered loud enough for the camera to catch it. "Fuck.." _God dammnit I said that out loud again_ , he thought as he tried to silently curse himself for managing to get his flusteredness recorded, and probably providing the two men with teasing material for the next few centuries.

The other clamp got attached to the other nipple, both of their colors intensifying from the rough treatment, as a long _ahhh_ escaped the practically naked man's lips.

"Now, tell me love, what is this pretty young man doing in your quarters at this time of the evening?" Erwin's demeanor took on a slightly darker shade, as two fingers tightened their grip on the pin of the right clamp.. Eren's got a full frame of it, before his entire body froze in place as the words reached his brain. _Wha.._

"He is...Uh..." Levi attempted to talk through choked out moans, " _Ahhh_...He was ordered here to capture our likeness sir... _Mhmph...._ On his canvas...It was meant as a surprise for you, when you come back..." His voice got cut off by a harsh pull, stretching the skin of his sensitive nipple.

"How considerate of you..." Blue eyes shifted to the other pin, giving it a strong squeeze before pulling on it, equally strongly. A string of mumbles filled the air and Eren watched it hypnotized, as he stood next to the tripod clumsily trying the place the camera on it, without actually paying attention to what he was doing. _If this night continues like this, I am going to drop the stupid thing._ He shook his head imagining the scenario, where he had to explain to Hannes the circumstances behind his camera getting shattered into pieces. 

"...You see, it's just that..." The still clothed man spoke again, running his hand down the side of Levi's face before grabbing his chin firmly, "A few little birds told me they heard, quite a bit of inappropriate noises coming out of your bedroom while I was away..."

Eren's heart was throbbing in his throat and the same was true for the erection squeezed uncomfortably inside his pants.

"So tell me dear...Did you touch yourself without my permission or is somebody else responsible for all the noises that disturbed the other inhabitants of the castle?" Erwin turned towards a very blushing brunet, lewdly checking him out, before he shifted his eyes back again, towards the face he still held in his hand. "You know your body and mind are yours to give, to whomever you wish. But we had a bet I believe, and I am thinking you might've lost it." The blond smiled widely, stroking his thumb over Levi's mouth, seeing just the tinniest smudge on one of the ridges of his upper lip. "Also you know how much I hate missing out on the fun..."

Levi was reading the message loud and clear. "I'm sorry sir...I...Needed to be touched _aaahhh_..." A strong pull on his hair, turned him around and landed him on all fours.

"Oh let's satisfy your needs then soldier. How many times do you think you deserve to be touched?" Erwin said running an open palm down the muscles of Levi's back and over his perfectly toned butt cheeks.

"Twenty...Twenty times sir!" Levi said immediately, knowing by now to speak without too much hesitation, as he was asked time and time again to decide on his own punishments, if he didn't want to risk, his boyfriend coming up with one, that would certainly prove to be more wicked.

He still couldn't help the way his lips quivered from the gentle touches Erwin was leaving all over his body.

Eren took hold of the stand, loosening the hinge in the middle of the tripod, and letting the center poll slide down, positioning the lens just a bit above the bed. It made it so, the recorder was on eye-level with Levi, his whole body visible as he was splayed out on all fours, almost fully naked,  a hand of a man standing behind him, caressing him, face only peeking into the frame a few times as the blond leaned down, to place kisses on his back.

 _This seems like the perfect moment,_   Eren thought, self-satisfied over the fact that he still had one last trick, that would show off his creativity, and hopefully wow the audience. He approached the window and repeated the motion he saw Erwin do a couple of days ago, pressing the button as the curtain started to slowly slide open. What this produced was a strong glow of cold moonlight, reaching through the huge window and overpowering the violet on the bed, as it was cut through with shadows, everywhere it touched the hundreds of leaves and branches from the outside trees, the two men had in the backyard. The dark and light wrapped perfectly around Levi's and Erwin's defined bodies, creating patterns similar to lace all over the room. Eren thought the view he had right now, had belonged in a museum. 

Levi raised his head, acknowledging the change, the purpose of it going completely over his head, as he was lost in the anticipation of his punishment, but Erwin caught on, looking at the pale skin beneath him first, before looking at his own and seeing the small shapes dance over their bodies.

He smiled at Eren before finally speaking, "Yes, I think twenty is fair. Count for me love." Erwin said as one of his hands flew up in the air before landing on the bottom soft fleshy part of  firm ass cheeks.

"One!" The raven choked out, as Eren zoomed in on the red hand print slowly forming on his skin. "Two!" The brunet heard again as a hand made another contact with bare flesh, flicking it slightly upwards, creating a slight bounce, that made Eren curse under his breath. He started to slowly back away, carefully making backwards steps one by one, trying to not shake the camera too much and hoping to avoid falling horribly on his ass. The countdown continued in between slaps and gentle caresses, as all three man started to form beads of sweats on the sides of their foreheads. The brunets hand traveled down to his own crotch, not being able to ignore the need to relieve some tightness, as he slowly ran his palm over his erection, other hands still holding onto the stand with the camera. He bit his lip to keep away his moans from reaching the microphone, as the scene before him was coming to an end, with Levi's flushed face buried into the mattress and fingers tightly clutching the sheets.

"You're so fucking beautiful Levi." The blond whispered, as he let his cloak slide down, his pants following after,  leaving him only wrapped in leather belts. "But it seems like I am not the only to  think so," he smirked, the daring gaze turning once more over to the left, towards the now silently panting brunet. "Do you think you could go over and ask this _hard working_ man if he would like to demonstrate, just how you two played together while I wasn't here? It seems you were enjoying his company so much so why don't you introduce him to me?" Erwin spoke between placing kisses all over Levi's back, a wordless reassurance letting him know just how good he was.. The raven looked back at the man behind him before turning his gaze to the blushing green-eyed presence on the left.

"Yes sir, " Levi confirmed as he started slowly crawling down the bed and over the floor until he reached Eren's feet. His eyes gazed hungrily, taking in the sight of the absolutely edible bulge in front of his face. Silver eyes looked up and were met with a camera lens staring back.  Levi's mouth involuntarily tugged into a smile, _And they say we are perverted..._ He carefully placed two fingers on the top button of Eren's jeans, "Is this okay?"

The camera moved in a nodding motion.

"Use your words Eren, " a calm but firm voice came from the naked man sitting on the corner of the bed body facing towards the two.

"Yes...Uhm, sir...It's ok. More than okay." And just as he said that, he felt the squeeze of his pants loosen up, as both his buttons and zipper got quickly undone. "Actually..." He interrupted his own train of thoughts and Levi's fingers immediately moved away, as gray eyes looked up again. "I was wondering if you could um...Let _me_ demonstrate on Levi...sir?" Eren felt a bit unconfident with his attempt at engaging in the role-play. A single moment of silence, even made the him re-think, if it was ok to interject like that, in a scenario that both of the men obviously spent time planning out.

"What do you say dear?" Erwin finally asked, not seeming to mind, judging by the way his eyes gleamed almost mimicking the candlelight.

"If that's what you wish..." Levi said, quickly recovering his headspace, as he thought for a brief second Eren had changed his mind.

The boy kneeled down in front of the raven and handed him the camcorder. "It is." He assured once more.

Levi stood up and looked back at Erwin, reaching out his arm, and calling for the man to take the device, which the blond eagerly accepted. "I can't be trusted with this, especially when there's a dopey-eyed brat, on his knees in front of me," he said voice sounding a bit out of breath, as he leaned back on Erwin's bare chest.

Erwin used the position to settle the camera on Levi's right shoulder, pointing it down, as the screen filled with deep-sea colored eyes, the subtle cloudiness in them, revealing a mind hazy with lust.

"Look." The blond prompted, nudging Levi's head up from his shoulder.

Levi obeyed, tilting his head down, just as he felt slightly cold palms and fingers, glide up his thighs, passing under the thin waistband of his panties and over his hips, those same fingers curling in a scratching motion over the muscles of his waist, as a warm breath ghosted over his by now painful arousal.

 _Fuck...This kid..._ Levi shivered, waiting for something to happen.

Eren's intention was not to tease _per se..._ He just felt, and acted on this need to touch and savor, as his inner clock slowed down the time, making Eren's entire body move like honey, over every curve of Levi's skin. He was completely unaware of what he was doing to the man. Or both of them actually.

"Eren..." Blue eyes met with his own, over the brim of the camera lens. "I don't think I have ever seen sexier foreplay for a blowjob, but..." Erwin pointed his stare towards Levi's face.

Gray irises were hidden behind eyelids, mouth shut tight, as he breathed heavily through his nose, brows set to a complete opposite of a scowl, making him look almost non-intimidating.

Almost, as silver lines appeared menacingly with a squint, a low voice following immediately after, "Are you done brat?"

Eren took the cue, fingers closing around the piece of lingerie, as he dragged it down gently to Levi's feet, the raven stepping out of them and kicking them aside. Green eyes looked up one last time, placing a palm around Levi's cock, before he let his lips slide over it with ease, tongue moving languidly underneath it.

Black tresses flew back again, as humming sounds started to fill the air.

"You're missing the show..." Erwin spoke softly into his boyfriends right ear, "Luckily you will be able to re-watch it later."

The small chuckle that followed, sent feather like electricity, starting from Levi's ear, sneaking over his neck and spreading through his body, making him shoot his eyes open, startled by the tightness already forming in his lower half. _What the fu..._ But he didn't get to finish that thought, as not-at-all-gentle teeth, pulled on the soft part of his earlobe.

"Erwin..." Levi's breathed out, as letters came out mulled together, "S-stop...Or I'll..."

"Oh?" Erwin smirked with genuine surprise, feeling Levi's quickening pulse, as he placed his lips over his neck. "No need to hold back then..." He mumbled into pale skin, before tinting it crimson red with another harsh bite.

"Ahhhh...Both of you...Ssss..." Levi's voice broke, as he came, holding onto Erwin's thighs with both hands.

Silver eyes opened after a few moments of catching up with his own breath, "I am not done with any of you yet..." He said still sandwiched between the two taller men, that were now kissing over him, stray lips grazing occasionally over his shoulder and neck.

"I hope not..." Erwin said winking at the brunet, as he circled both men with his hands and clumsily dragged them across the room, until his hamstrings hit the bedside and they fell onto the sheets, where they stayed till morning.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been told before that my smut is sometimes too elaborate lol. But I'm just trying to come up with stuff that I haven't read before, so hopefully this is not too unrealistic or hard to read?  
> Really hope you enjoyed it, and suggestions are super welcome! :)


	14. Take your time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Perfume Genius - Die 4 you](https://youtu.be/_-XQkDyEwQo)

“There?” A low voice queried in a half-whisper, the genuine curiosity reflected in the rising inflection of the last few letters.  
“Aa-ahhh... Th-ere..” A shaky, high pitch tone of another voice answered, resonating of off the walls.  
Two villainous smiles followed it, but Eren couldn’t see them, his eyelashes smoothing over gentle fabric every time he opened his eyes, pupils catching only endless black space.  
“Hmm... Good to know. And it’s There, _sir_. “ The same voice from before teased, and the fingers inside Eren did the same, pressing on just the right spot, enough to make him let out a small yelp, before the feeling disappeared again.  
His arms twitched in frustration, causing a clatter of metal touching metal fill up the room, as he shook the small chains of his handcuffs. A moment later his body dipped to the left, sensing someone leaning over him, which he quickly confirmed to be accurate, feeling a large but gentle palm, slide softly over his forehead, removing the hair strands that stuck to it.  
“Relax, Eren... “ This time it was a different voice... One that has been silent for quite a while now. “Let us explore this wonderful complexity of yours.” The man continued, Eren feeling the hand from his forehead vanish, only to reappear a second later over his chest, fingers circling around the dents of his muscles and ribcage.  
The intensity of all the sensations was exhilarating, and Eren has been building up to it in the past few weeks, each of their games turning more and more daring, every time they crawled over this bed and stripped themselves off of their learned mind-sets, all in time with removing their clothes. They were naked in every sense.  
Of course Eren wasn’t the only one, needing to discover how to let these new emotions take over, and figure out the dosage, in which they should be released, in order to mix up the perfect cocktail of pleasure and pain. They were still far from that perfection, but they were getting there, one exciting evening at a time.  
“You know you are in good hands right? “ The soft, reassuring voice continued, as a palm caressed the side of his face now.  
“Y-yes, sir.” Eren choked out, the teasing administered by the other pair of thin fingers, reducing his voice to squeaks. He was in fact, in mind-numbingly capable hands.  
“Good... “ The words came with his body being levelled again, as the warmth exuding from another human body faded away, Eren’s heart rate spiking up, wondering where would it show up next. But instead of being consoled into a feeling of comfort again, the other pair of hands gradually slid out of him too, and he was left, squirming, breath quickening on the bed, no feeling of space or time, no sound except the rustling of bedsheets around him.  
“You see Eren... “ A voice broke through the silence after a few long minutes, sounding like a professor who had just started off his lecture, as he felt fingers, thicker then the ones before, smooth their way into him again, completely catching him off-guard.  
He arched his back at the sensation, but was quickly grounded down, his body suddenly rocking gently, from left to right, as he got straddled by the palpably defined muscles of someone’s thighs, flushing him straight against the mattress. The tickle of hair strands over the skin of his left shoulder, as he got roughly kissed on the neck, had gave him a good idea of who was were, and he let out a small sigh of contentment, before his moment of peace got taken away by goose bumps, speeding across his entire body, as restless fingers pressed down on his prostate.  
“Ah.. There right? “ Erwin concluded happily, “I think we both graduated on finding it quickly today. “ The blond chuckled softly. “Anyway...As I was saying...”  
Erwin’s voice faded out for a moment as Eren let Levi’s tongue part his mouth, kissing him hungrily, teeth grazing over and around his lips.  
“... Pain is not the goal of these sessions, or any session as a matter of fact... “ Eren caught onto the words, as Levi moved away, and was now sitting straight up, knees on each side of the brunet.  
“It is just a tool we use, to intensify the feeling of pleasure that is already there...”  
A pinch on his chest jolted his attention from listening to feeling.  
“Number? “ A strict voice above him demanded.  
“Three... “ Eren said breathless. They were slowly climbing up on the pain scale, in their past few meetings, Levi experimenting with the control over his strength and fine tuning it to Eren’s taste. This was somewhere in the middle ground and was the sweet spot between to much and too little, the next pinch confirming this, with Eren sighing out in pleasure.  
“... No masochist would ever say they liked stubbing their toe, just as no sadist would ever support senseless violence... “ Erwin kept talking as the different stimulations kept shaking Eren’s body, making the thoughts in his mind scramble, as he hooded his eyes and let himself float away.  
“... Its all about the context...” The blond finished, and Levi’s slightly restrained voice followed after. He was clearly getting affected by all of this too.  
“Do you trust us Eren? “ The dark-haired man asked, feeling the boy’s erratic heartbeat under his palm.  
“Yes. ” Came a short but clear answer. Whatever they had in store for him Eren was ready, anticipating they would be taking a step up again, from their previous playtime scenarios.  
“Color?” Levi inquired again.  
“It’s green..” Eren sounded out, a bit impatiently, opening his eyes, only to be met with darkness again.  
“I’m glad to hear” Levi smiled wickedly. “Cause this is now the third time today, you forgot to say sir, and god knows how many times before this, even though we we’ve been continuously correcting you. “ He snatched the mask off of Eren’s face, before grabbing a fist full of his hair, not giving him time to speak back. _Fuck I’ve been wanting to do this for such a long time_. Levi thought breathing in sharply, as he stared down at endlessly deep eyes, the green in them as glass-like as ever, pupils moving quickly back and forth over Levi’s face, knowing very well he was in trouble.  
“Show me the safe signal” Levi said in an even tone, loosening the grasp on Eren’s head. The brunet obliged, knocking twice against the headboard with his right hand. Levi pulled on his arms, straightening the chain part of Eren’s restraints. “Again! “. He commanded, and after making sure the brunet was still able to knock even if the cuffs got strained to their maximum capacity, he looked back at Erwin, the smile he was met with, providing him with the reassurance, to move on with materializing the image that was already so vividly ingrained in his mind. It involved a certain brat, with a mouth full of cock, and he propped himself up on his knees, bringing his arousal right in front of Eren’s face. “Open.” He ordered, nudging the boy’s head, with his fingers still tangled firmly in brown locks. Having Eren’s puckered lips wrapped around himself, was an absolute delight in any situation, and Levi had been eager to experience the feeling again, his desire sustained by the few seconds of absolutely sinful footage, of Eren bating his eyelashes to the camera, before Levi’s cock disappeared in his mouth. He re-watched it more often that he was willing to admit to anyone, even Erwin . Even though they were in the same situation now, Levi was slowly discovering the differences that being in control had brought on. He concluded he thoroughly enjoyed it. As long as he had Erwin behind himself and Eren looking at him from the front, he was ready to explore these feelings uninhibited. Especially when that meant getting a bit rough with an annoyingly cute and forgetful brunet, all the while doing something that all three of them got immense enjoyment from. He stared into Eren’s eyes, and he got a stare back, as he held chocolate hairs firmly in place and slid himself into wet lips to the hilt. He lingered.  
Erwin watched the entire ordeal go down, from over Levi’s shoulder, wondering how far had his boyfriend planned to take this, and how long was the beautiful man under him willing to take the sweet torture. He saw Levi pull out completely only a moment later, making sure the boy could catch some air and he smiled inwardly, at both of them panting like someone forced them to jog in the summer heat. He used the opportunity to talk, “Do you think you’re stretched enough Eren? You can answer with a color. “ He raked his nails softly over tan thighs.  
“Green... sir. “ Erwin heard him answer, voice cracking, as green eyes were locked to silver.. _Good_ , the blond thought with a smile tugging on his lips again. “We come first, then you. Is that a rule you think you can stick too, for a change? “ Erwin highly doubted, and he was ready to see it get broken... Without repercussions for now. Such was the beauty of discovering the inner workings of their new sub, and such was the patience needed for it. They certainly planned to get him plenty of training in that area later. And even though they talked about it, and Eren expressed his concerns about being able to follow that order, a faint _yes sir_ , confirmed Eren’s willingness to try. The wish to please was there and Erwin indulged him with a few gentle praises, the brunet smiling out his satiety upon hearing the words, as Erwin eased himself inside, his own arousal finally getting some attention too.  
Eren moaned loudly, fingers curling around nothing, the sound coming from his mouth getting lowered to the point of a muffle, as Levi’s length hit the back of his throat.  
“You don’t get to moan, until you learn how to address us in a proper way. “ Levi grumbled, pulling himself out, taking a string of saliva with him, as Eren grasped for air. He completely understood now, the reason Erwin always yelled at him to keep his eyes open, while he fucked his mouth into senselessness. The look on Eren’s face was vivifying, and Levi felt himself clutch tighter onto brown hair, as he pulled soft lips over himself again... And again...  
The bed became a mess of quick and long breathes, exchanging in random intervals, intersected with different pitched moans, and as the sounds got more frequent and more erratic, the room got suddenly quieter, by loosing a single voice, as to everyone’s wonderment Erwin came first.  
Levi smiled, hearing the familiar mewl coming from the man behind him, and he let himself close his eyes for a moment, imagining Erwin’s blissed out face, pushing into Eren, as he felt the coil tighten in his stomach. “I’m, ah.. Close...” He warned, out of habit, and not a moment later, he felt a wetness cover his back, as Eren came instead, the cutest squeal vibrating around his cock. _This kid..._ He shook his head, with a small grin sneaking over his lips. Quickening his pace for one last time, another type of cold swept over the skin of his back, a sensation he immediately recognized to be Erwin’s tongue. Mind going into over-excitement from the implications, he braced himself on soft hairs with both hands, as he filled Eren’s mouth with his warmth.

**********

Unsettling thumping of heartbeat, woke Eren up as he gasped. He felt the tensing from his feet to his jaw, a translucent image of their family car floating in front of his eyes, the feeling of stomach sickness unmistakably following close by, every time he had dreams like these. He shook his head, willing the image to evaporate, as he tried to find a distraction in his thoughts, subconsciously grabbing for his sister’s hand, to calm down his breathing. Instead, his palms connected with warm skin, on one side, and then the other, as he slowly started to recall the facts of where he was. A sigh leaving his mouth, got filled up with the tears in his eyes instead. Never had he felt being so cared for, since his days in the hospital, as he felt in the last few weeks. It was not only the small particles of happiness flowing through his bloodstream, an inevitable by-product of his recently prosperous sex life, nor was it the dynamic in which it happened. It was rather the feeling of someone wanting to genuinely know you, physically and mentally, just so they can create circumstances that will make you feel the most amount of happiness. That was what burst the balloon of Eren’s emotions, as two different hot drops slid down on opposite sides of his face. He felt guilty... Guilty towards his past self for letting himself be lulled into this kind of comfort. All the years he spent, living with a nagging feeling of anxiety always nestled somewhere in the back of his head, was getting more and more pushed to the back. It was almost like, the sadness he was burdened with for so long wasn’t ready to be forgotten just yet, and it kept showing up in vivid dreams, reminding Eren he still owes it the truth. He wished he could forget everything, tell Levi to call off whatever risky mission he started because of him, and just live forever on this bed. But he couldn’t, and as he felt large fingers getting tangled into his own, another hand finding its rest on his opposite shoulder, two more streams of distress flew down to dampen the pillow he was lying on. He fell asleep thinking, between their two breaths, before his tears even had the time to dry out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren may or may not had repeatedly forgotten to say - sir, on purpose Ψ


	15. Still alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Portal - Still Alive](https://youtu.be/Y6ljFaKRTrI)

Erwin made a stirring motion, circling his wooden spoon in the pot of angrily boiling water, the steam released from the pasta moving around, burning his hand a little, as he turned his head towards the sounds coming from the living room. He cocked his head to the side, trying to decipher the words, but all he managed to catch was inaudible swearing, followed by loud laughter, the bubbling water taking over the space in his ears. The spoon made a splashing sound, as Erwin dropped it in a flash of a second, realising somewhere in the middle of his absent-minded smiling, that he stopped stirring and the heat from the pot was burning the tip of his fingers as punishment. He grabbed the spoon with his other hand and mixed the water with the curly noodles a few more times, before setting it aside and taking a step back, leaning his head to look through the doorframe of the kitchen into the living room.  
The scene that his fond gaze landed on, had probably been approached in the same careful and calculated manner as any of the things they lately did in their bedroom, with Eren progressing slowly towards taking Levi’s coolness apart and Erwin being the provider of useful hints on how to do it.  
He was staring at the result of their joint effort now, represented in two men siting on the floor in front of the TV, silvery eyes gleaming from the serious concentration, the other more colourful ones, paying a lot more attention to the man sitting next him, than at the events that were going down on the screen.  
Erwin had to step back, the smell of faintly burnt food drawing his attention, as he hurriedly grabbed a kitchen rag and removed the dish from the stove. The water was nowhere to be seen and the burgundy colour peaking through the bottom of the pot mocked his infatuation with the two men in the other room. _I just managed to burn pasta,_ he laughed to himself. No wonder Levi was hesitant to leave him unsupervised in the kitchen. The top to middle part was still salvageable and after mixing it with the pasta sauce, which was, to his fortune, a brightly-red coloured, tomato flavoured, creamy mixture, the few burned parts that made it to the bowl where barely noticeable.

 _“I'm not kidding now. Turn back or I will kill you.”_ A voice came distinct, from the other room, and any day Erwin would believe it was Levi, getting stupidly worked up over something, but the tone sounded very robotic and more like a... Female one?

“Eren I swear to God, if you don’t shoot a portal there right now, I will get your ass very aquainted with a certain purple paddle. “

Ah, there it was, this was definitely Levi, Erwin thought with a snicker. By the sound of it, Eren was being troublesome again, probably on purpose too, finally realising that the raven was just as easily teasable as the brunet was himself.  
After spending an entire week, getting Levi to admit he was in fact,  an avid fan of wasting his time to video games, it took another week for Eren to talk him into playing together. Discovering that Levi demanded perfection, even in the area of life that was supposed to be pure fun, took no more than an hour though, and cheeky green eyes realized it was much more fun to get on Levi’s nerves then, getting over another milestone in whatever game they were playing.

“Really? Why don’t you? “ An overtly bold answer came, and Erwin’s attention was now definitely back on the two men again, as he put his kitchen tools down and moved to stand at the door.

“You never mentioned any props in your ‘LIKES’ section. “ Erwin heard Levi say in a very unbothered tone, the raven’s eyes not budging from the screen.  
Eren furrowed his eyebrows, like he was trying to recall the sheets of paper in his mind, to check whether that was true, and after a few moments of thinking he spoke again.

“Well it seems like, we should maybe change that in the near future... But.. “ Eren put his controller down, his pupils shifting up like he was still wondering about something.

“You don’t know all the possibilities and we should show you around first? “ Erwin piped up cheerfully, leaning on the doorframe of the kitchen, as he successfully followed through with the boy’s thought process.

“Yes... “ Came the answer, with a smidgen of bashfulness, green eyes flying down to find refuge from the curious stares directed at him from both sides.

“Well, why didn’t you say so... “ The other controller got placed on the floor too, as Levi stood up, and extended his hand towards Eren, prompting him to use it to get up. Eren did, and Levi pulled him up and then out of the room, with a tall blond figure following close by, grinning like a small child ready to show off, as the staticy sass of Glados murmured in the background.

In a few steps, they found themselves in the hallway and one more put them in front of the door, Erwin and Levi disappeared behind, that one night a few weeks ago. Erwin unlocked the door, and he and Levi walked in, Eren lingering for a moment before crossing the door seal too.  
Maybe because of what Levi said earlier, a purple shimmery fur-like fabric was the first thing to catch his eyes. It reminded Eren of the shiny tail, Levi had, on one of the first nights he saw him at the club, just quite a bit shorter. It hanged from the wall on the left, and had a black, rubber body with a handle like a comb. Levi took it off of the wall.

“This... “ He ran the soft violet hairs down Eren’s arm, “Can be your best friend... “ The brush-like thing continued to slide down. The sensation was pleasantly goose-bump inducing. Or maybe it was the close proximity of gray and blue eyes gazing at him like... That. Either way, it was doing nice things to Eren’s brain.

“... Or quite a pesky adversary... “ Levi started gliding the thing back up, before turning it around and mock-slapping Eren’s fleshy bicep with the other bare, rubbery part of the toy.  
“Ow! “ Eren’s other hand flew to the affected patch of his skin, the surprise of the action prompting his movement, rather than the barely existent pain from the tiny smack. It felt slightly warm under his fingers and he felt the cells in his bloodstream speed up a little.  
“It all depends on how you behave yourself... “ Levi raised an eyebrow at him, before turning around and putting the paddle back at it’s place.  
Erwin found Eren’s eyes next and smiled, beckoning the boy’s gaze to look at the other things in the room.  
“This is a crop” Erwin took down a long, but thin pole, with a piece of leather-like rectangle hanging from the end of it.

“Compared to what I've just shown you, this will cause a more sharp sensation... Like a sting... “ Levi jumped in with an explanation, knowing the exact feeling all too well.

“It can also leave some very pretty marks wherever it touches your skin... If you gift us with that pleasure of course. ” Erwin added, and Eren’s other bicep was now carressed with a mock-slap. The feeling it left was calculatedly gentle, but Eren didn’t react this time, something in Erwin’s expression causing him to just still and listen.  
He watched the man, as he put back the crop and pulled open a drawer underneath it.

“A flogger... “ Erwin shook the small handle, moving the many leathery strings that were attached to it.  
“Best used on your back... “ Levi added, running an index finger down Eren’s spine, before stepping back to lean on the opposite wall.  
Glassy green eyes turned to look at him, a slight tint creeping over the light bronze skin of his cheeks, but somewhere, midway through their path, they stopped, distracted by a basket of colourful ropes, sitting on a stand, next to Levi.

“Is that...? “ Eren had seen many images of this in his research, the ropes being used in an overwhelming amount of ways, each combination of pattern and human shape more prettier than the other. He had been fascinated by the aesthetics of it ever since, and he was no less curious about the sensation of being moulded by one, too.

“Ropes for bondage? Yes... “ Levi took the teal one out of the basket and gave it to Eren, "Look it matches your eyes." He said with a small glint. 

“It’s very pretty...” The brunet examined the folds of the rope with his fingers.

“Pretty indeed... Is that something you find interesting? “ A sound from behind inquired, as the man approached closer, the words resonating with excitement just a little above Eren’s ears.

“Yes, I think very much so... “ The boy admitted, the lack of hesitance, causing a few smiles to creep up on the lips of the other two men in the room. All three pair of eyes gleamed with the possibilities.

A few more intricate props, some shy and some less shy confessions later, they were sitting in the kitchen, Levi’s absolutely disgusted look, causing Eren to barely suppress a laughter.

“What the fuck is this Erwin? “ Levi held up a half brown piece of pasta with a fork.

“What do you mean? “ Erwin answered, the casual innocence in his voice and expression, making Eren let out a snort, the blond not bothering to even look up from his plate.  
“What do I... “ Levi fumed for a moment, before bursting into laughter, taking Eren with him. “You know what... Nothing... It’s perfect. “  
Eren caught Levi’s affectionate gaze, directed towards the blue eyes across him, both irises sparkling, showered with the deep bronze of the late afternoon sun. He only seen it once before, the first time they went to the cafe in the park and the brunet hoped to have it for himself too one day. Hearing Levi laugh so warmly was a whole other thing.

These two men were his boyfriends... Eren thought, suddenly smiling widely. The way his life was going down in the past month, he realized he hadn’t had a proper moment to sit down and process that fact. Doubts about the reality of it lasting, were the first ones to come up, and he watched them now, with a smile narrowing just a bit over his face. Eren knew both of them had been carrying their own baggage through life, and yet they seemed so careless, scarred by hardships but nevertheless content in the path they had chosen, to walk through life. He wanted to learn how to feel that way too. Sighing out sharply he decided as a first step to stop dwelling on the Whys and Hows, and concentrate on the fact that he was indeed being regarded with affection by these two men, no matter how forever surreal would that seem to him. He also had to acknowledge the affection he helplessly radiated back at them, the possibility of Eren foolishly falling in love, being almost touchable at moments like these. He wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not, but it was happening, and he knew fighting it was futile.

A whistling sound, disintegrated his stupor, and he giggled, imagining the stupid expression he was probably holding for a while now.  
“What is it brat? “ Levi asked, softening his voice for a level or two.

“It’s my birthday next Friday... “ Eren suddenly realized the source of his recent moodiness. He was never truly able to find reasons to celebrate his life since age 10, the cheerful moments before that, only present in faded polaroid-like snapshots of birthday cakes and his mothers laugh, the fact that, he was sometimes barely able to remember both of those, causing him guilt that overshadowed what were supposed to be happy memories.  
He was surprised to be met with two pair of understanding eyes, that shifted from staring at each other, to looking at him, instead of being questioned about the fact that he didn’t like making a big deal out of his birthdays or as it usually happened, being lectured about “thinking positively” and “trying to enjoy the small things in his present. “

They seemed to understand his inner conflict without words, cause Erwin directed his most cheerful face at him, and spoke.

“We want to kidnap you for the weekend if you have nothing else planned? It’s about time we take few exploratory days off from our regular lives... What do you say?” The blond formed his words with exact intent in mind, needing exactly three seconds to come up with a plan, that will serve the purpose of distracting their beautiful birthday boy, from his blues, purposefully leaving out phrases like “birthday celebrations” or “surprise”.

Eren caught the words with a short lingering silence of surprise. He did have plans... As he did every year, spending his birthday with Mikasa and Armin unsuccessfully trying to get him excited about the occasion. He knew that’s why Erwin proposed this, and he appreciated that it wasn’t explicitly stated they would be celebrating his birthday. Maybe he could do that... Spend a few blissfully ignorant days away from work and everyone, no matter the dates on the calendar.

“I guess, that’s sounds possible... “ Eren agreed shrugging his shoulders, “You don’t actually plan to kidnap me though, do you? “ He added raising both eyebrows as he smiled.

The two men looked at each other for a brief second, before Levi was quick to speak first. “I don’t know Eren do we? You tell us.. “  
Eren felt his body heat up again, a nervous laugh leaving his lips, “Let’s... We’ll have to talk about that... “ He managed trough his smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had planned for shit to go down in this chapter, but I caught a cold and didn't feel like writing difficult stuff, so I hope you enjoyed some domesticity with our boys!
> 
> P. S. I know the quote is from Portal 1, which is not a co-op, but the line fit so perfectly I had to use it.  
> And for those who don't know Portal 2 is a video game, where two people can work together to solve puzzles. It requires quite a bit of thinking and cooperation. It has this robot-narrator voice called Glados that sasses you constantly through the game. I just imagined Levi narrating a game would be exactly like Glados :D


	16. Body language

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't mind me as I bring you this chapter kind of late...It had quite a few things that needed to be explained in details, so I had to take my time.  
> I really encourage you to listen to these two songs, to really paint a picture for yourselves about the things that are happening in this chapter.  
> First is [Portishead - Undenied](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/172445305773/portishead-undenied)  
> Second is [Kylie Minogue - Slow (MAJENTA Remix)](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/172445214283/kylie-minogue-slow-majenta-remix)
> 
> Hope you enjoy it and let me know what you thought about it! ^^

“Fine... Go. “ A defeated voice came through the computer screen, as Eren stared through it into big, charcoal eyes.

“How mad are you?” He asked, voice keeping that tad of regretful notion, even though his eyes lit up, upon hearing his sister agree with him.

She sighed, before she smiled, “You just grinned wider than the Joker, so I can’t find it in me to be mad at you... I’m just sad that’s all...I miss you. “ The black hairs swayed, as Mikasa turned her head to the side at the confession. She wasn’t the one to express her inner thoughts with words a lot, rather letting her actions speak for her... Much like another black-haired ice queen he knew, Eren thought unwillingly smiling again. That was the whole thing about them actually, he concluded right in that moment, they were the warmest bodies of ice he had ever encountered and he realized just how much dealing with Mikasa his whole life, had helped him take Levi’s harshness with a light heart, knowing damn well it’s just a facade lifted up to shield themselves from the world, that had hurt them one too many times. He silently thanked whatever deity that put Mikasa to be his sister, for many reasons that both had, and had not had anything to do with his current relationship with Levi. He loved her to bits.

“I’ll make it up to you I promise... “ He smiled, widening his eyes at the screen, “I’ll double make it up to you! “

“You bet, you will! “ She fake-threatened. 

Eren closed his laptop a few moments later. He was relieved, but the small bit of sadness he felt, made this relief a little confusing. 

“I told you she’ll understand. “ A friendly voice shouted from the other room, before a smiling, short blond showed up, standing in the doorway. “You underestimate her love for you. “

“Are you sure this is okay? “ Eren needed to hear it confirmed once more. This would be the first time he would ever spend his birthday away from them both, and his excitement was being constantly trampled by guilt. It seemed like it was an emotion he conditioned himself to feel, every time he was in a position to experience something he enjoyed. 

“Stop asking that. I am not going to reassure you every five minutes. You are allowed to have a life Eren... I am... Happy that you do... “ Armin concluded, as he sat down next to the brunet, placing an arm around his shoulders. 

“So what are you guys up to? Or... Umm, do I want to know actually? “ The blond corrected himself raising both eyebrows, his hand getting removed from Eren, as he raised it to shield himself from the possible answer. 

“I... Have no idea actually. “ Eren confessed, a bit shyly. “They are being very mysterious about it. “

 

****

 

The only thing Eren did know, was that he needed to pack stuff for a few days, and be ready at Friday 5 pm, waiting for Erwin and Levi to pick him up. That exact time and date was staring back at him from his phone screen, as he heard the rumble of car tires against the asphalt. He lifted his head and was met with the smiles, he grown to be almost addicted too. He had an entire life already behind him, and yet they still made him feel like an infatuated teenage boy, discovering his crush liked him back. 

He hadn’t even fully gotten into the back seat, before he spoke, “So, where are we going? “

“Patience... Is how you should approach things when your with us. “ Levi answered quickly, almost cutting Eren off. 

Eren sat back, the sentence making him feel like he should not venture into questioning them further, even though the curiosity was making him fidget in his seat. They drove in silence for a few minutes before Levi decided to speak up again. 

“You see how good you can be when you want to. “ Silver eyes looked at him from the rear-view mirror with a smirk, acknowledging Eren’s effort to keep his snoopy nose at bay. 

“We gathered up some things, we were fairly sure of that you liked, and we would want to try them on... Uhm, with you. “ Levi sneaked another smile towards the brunet, the line of his lips tugging a bit further, after seeing the soft skin on the boy’s cheek redden slightly. 

“So what you’re saying is, I won’t know anything until it’s time for it to happen...? “ Eren dared, with an almost squeaky voice. 

“That’s right kid... Any issues with that? “ The raven lifted an eyebrow. 

“No.. I... I quite like that. “ Eren admitted sitting fully back into the seat. 

Erwin chuckled softly, “We know. “

 

It didn’t take long for green eyes to recognize the road they were on and with it, the destination they were headed to. It took around ten minutes for all three of them to catch the first glances of the sign spelling club Titan, the usual violet neon flicker, replaced with dull grey tubes, on a black, plastic background indicating the place was closed...At least for the usual guests it seemed. Eren wasn’t sure whether they were stopping by to fetch some things or would they be doing something more than that, inside the club. The anticipation was circling around the inside of his stomach, and he had to sigh it out, just to manage to relax a bit, as he closed the door behind him and followed after the two men. Passing thorough the familiar hallways, they found themselves soon on the dance floor, in front of the stage, in a completely silent and empty club. Both Erwin and Levi were just as equally quiet this whole time, their demeanor making Eren think that, whatever they were about to do, they were not messing around. 

He was facing the stage, when a hand on his shoulder made him turn around. 

“Come... ” Levi said, and made every blood cell in Eren’s body rush south. 

They made their way to the bar, where Erwin was already waiting, with 3 glasses of what seemed like fancy restaurant portions of white wine. Both men sat down. 

“Need something stronger? “ Erwin teased reading the confusion from Eren’s face. 

Eren looked up at him, and hesitated for a second before answering, “I’m good thanks.”

“Good, “ The tall blond confirmed, catching Eren’s jaw between his fingers. “We don’t do scenes or even talk about them while intoxicated. “

Eren knew that, and he wondered if Erwin’s question was some kind of a test...What were they up to? Also, did he say scene? He started to feel like a small deer stuck in the headlights that were Erwin and Levi. He was sure he looked like one too. 

“Try it... “ Levi took Eren’s glass and lifted it up, in front of green eyes. 

The brunet grabbed it and started to go in for a big gulp, his nervousness getting the best of him. Before the liquid could touch his lips, his glass got tipped back and he landed straight in the line of sight of intense grey eyes. 

“Slowly...” The lips under the stare spoke, “It’s too good not to be savored... Also this is all you will get, so try to enjoy it at least, you hasty brat. “

Eren listened, lulling the glass back to his lips again, his taste buds meeting with a strong but sweet concoction of white grapes. It was delicious and it made him want to take another sip, but he held back from it, wanting to show that he can, indeed be patient. He stared at them, trying to figure out their next move, but they just kept sipping on the wine and talking casually about things Eren seemed to completely block out, as his mind was filling up with possibilities. 

It was only after they all emptied their glasses, that they regarded him again, and this time Erwin was the one to speak up. 

“We have a few fun ideas that include you, being naked and tied up on that stage... “ Blue eyes fixed onto green, ready to catch their reaction, “Of course, whether they become reality or not, it depends entirely on you...”

Eren’s breath got caught in his throat. That sounded fucking awesome. 

“I would love for it to be a reality, “ He answered as calmly as he was humanly capable in that moment. 

“That makes the three of us then... “ Levi spoke, the look he was wearing sending goose bumps down Eren’s spine. The two men exchanged a glance, before Levi continued, explaining what they planned to do tying wise, ensuring the brunet knew that only his hands would be restricted and nobody would be lifting him up in the air just yet. They agreed on rules, limits and safe words and Eren was soon accompanied by the two men, who led him up to the stage. 

“If it makes you more comfortable, we could talk you through everything as we do it, so you can get a sense of what was happening and why. “

Eren nodded, but quickly followed the movement with an audible confirmation, not wanting to get scolded or even punished again for not using his words properly. “Yes, sir, I’d like that... “ He mouthed, the last few letters getting lost inside a whisper, as Levi stepped up to stand an inch from his face. 

“Strip.” Silver eyes gleamed and Eren only took a moment to hesitate, the awkward wanting to win over the exciting, before Levi started to raise an eyebrow, prompting the boy to over think less and do more. 

In a matter of seconds he was naked, Levi generously helping him out along the way.

Suddenly the lights went out and the all too familiar violet beam of light lit up the stage. 

 _This is great,_ Eren thought almost laughing, imagining a third person view of himself, completely clothes-less, standing in damn purple spotlight. His sureness almost started to crumble away, and it would’ve soon started to fall off in bigger pieces too, if his thoughts hadn’t been snipped through, with soft piano music filling his ears, the slow and deep base following quickly after, making the sound advance further through his body, putting him back together. The last gaps in his confidence were filled by Levi’s half-closed gaze, running wild along his body, as he watched him from a few steps afar. Eren smiled bashfully, having to direct his look away, and using the opportunity to search for another important set of eyes and finding them a moment later, seated in front of the stage. By now he was very much aware of Erwin’s enjoyment in watching as Levi and he played, and Eren was finding some kinky satisfaction from it too, feeling the need to make a performance out of anything they did. It almost always ended up with Erwin eventually joining in, and Eren had high hopes that it would be the same case now. His discomfort flying off of the shelf, to be replaced by delightfully nervous anticipation, he turned to Levi again, and just as the ethereal voice of the singer broke through the air with the first lyrics, the dark-haired man started to approach him. 

“Clasp your hands behind your back. “ Came an order and Eren listened, grabbing the right bicep with his left hand, and letting the other arm flush itself underneath the left. 

Levi ran two open palms over Eren’s muscles, that seemed to get a bit more pronounced with the action and the way the lighting made the shadows carve deep inside every crevice of his skin. He only used his eyes, to admire the same view on the boys back, the brunet being just the right kind of fit that made him look gentle, but also someone you wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of. No matter how he looked at him, Eren was sexy as hell and Levi sighed deeply as he willed himself to concentrate fully on the task ahead. 

“I am going to pull your arms a bit wider ok? So they form more of a square shape over your back.” Levi said firmly, as he pushed Eren’s arms aside just a little bit, until they looked the way he wanted them to be. “Tuck your thumbs away. “ Another command came, and Levi would lie if he said, he wasn’t getting off to Eren wordlessly obeying his every word, as he watched the boy, release the grasp he had on his own bicep, and moved his thumb behind his arm, so it was safely lying against his back. The raven knew better than anyone, just how much courage and trust was necessary for a scene like this to go down and the fact that Eren was currently granting him that and more, was lighting up the skin prickling sensors all over his body. Never in a century would he assume a green eyed brat would just show up one day, and flip his switch like this. “I am going to slide this rope between your arms and your back. “ He explained, as he did so, the rope following the line of Eren’s spine, and he looped it around his arms a moment after and secured the wrap with a knot. “Move your arms for me Eren. “

To the brunet’s surprise he was able to adjust the position of his arms very easily, as it felt like there was room for an entire other arm to be sneaked in, on top of his own. He didn’t notice when the seat emptied in front of the stage, and just as it usual happened, Erwin showed up next to him to answer the question he only asked with his eyes. 

“This is not the part where we do restriction. “ He said, before he placed a finger underneath Eren’s chin and lifted it into a quick kiss. The blond stepped away as Levi circled the first wrap around him, the rope going over his chest, making sure there was a fingers width of distance between the teal thread and the crease where Eren’s arms and shoulders met. The second wrap went just underneath the first, and when Levi was at Eren’s back again, instead of going for another circle, he slipped the loose end of the rope underneath the first. “I am going to create some tension now,” he whispered over Eren’s shoulders. 

A few moments later Eren felt Levi pull on the rope, as his arms got pushed closer together, the braiding slowly printing itself over his skin. He closed his eyes to soak in the sensation, feeling Levi’s breath on his nape, and Erwin eyes on his own. They were probably trying to gauge his reaction the same way he was trying to figure out his own impressions too. He was searching for words that would describe the feeling, but the thoughts melted away, as Erwin approached him and put a finger between the rope and Eren’s skin. One thing was for sure, he felt more sensitive and every skin to skin contact made him shiver quietly. 

Levi created a few loops, around the base rope lying against Eren’s back, enabling him to let go of the loose end without the bond falling apart, while Erwin ran his index finger throughout the entire length of the rope, going around Eren, making sure the bind was not to tight, and letting the nerves in the brunet’s arms settle back to their natural place, keeping them from getting damaged.  He smiled, noticing the way Eren’s body squirmed under their touch.

His motions made the tie loosen up a bit, so Levi made sure to carefully pull on the string again, tightening Eren’s arm around his back once more. Dark hairs made another circle around the brunet, securing a rope right under his chest, avoiding the diaphragm. 

Eren looked down at his torso, seeing the rope run short, as Levi took out another one of the same color and attached it to the first. The mind behind green eyes, let itself sink into the contrast created by the strict commanding voice, and the gentleness he was handled with, as the raven adjusted the newly created knot into an exact place, that made it so he wasn’t bothered by it at any moment during their play. The final wrap went right under the last one, Levi tying a knot, that created two half moon shapes right in the middle of Eren’s back. 

 “I am going to loop the rope on each side of your arms now, this will prevent the tie from sliding around. “Levi explained further, as he dragged the rope to the left and secured it around Eren’s arm, before moving to the other one and doing the same. Two final loops were made around the rope, that went parallel with Eren’s spine, ensuring that all stayed where it should be, and both men made a few steps back, taking the time to admire the view. 

“Good job baby, “ Erwin turned to whisper into Levi’s ear, before placing a palm on his cheek and kissing him. He broke the  contact for a moment just to give a side-eyed glance to Eren, “On your knees. “ He instructed, and he watched the brunet slowly put one knee down and then the other, before returning his full attention to the man in his arms and kissing him again. 

Levi leaned into it, his left hand finding a gap between the seam of Erwin’s shirt and pants, palm sliding up the man’s stomach and then the torso, lifting his shirt up. Carried by the moment, he didn’t feel like stopping, as he used his other hand to pull the piece of clothing completely over and off of his tall boyfriend. 

Erwin ran his palm into Levi’s hair, sliding it down his neck and back muscles, until he reached his ass and took a fistful of it, flushing the smaller man to his own body, and intensifying their kiss. 

Eren kneeled a few steps away, getting gradually harder, as he watched Levi dig his nails into Erwin’s back, the brunet's thigh muscles and toes flexing, in the urge to get up and get closer. He fought his need to feel their skin on his own and the wish to obey their request. _Patience.._ He heard Levi’s voice in his head... _Is how you should approach things when your with us..._

 _Fine_ , Eren thought, they told him to kneel so that’s what he would do. He really wanted to be good for them. 

The make out session stopped for a moment, and Eren caught the men speaking something with their eyes, before they turned around and walked off the stage.

He followed them to the bar with his stare, as they sat down, pouring themselves a drink, Eren assumed wasn’t alcohol by the look of the bottle, even though he couldn’t quite make out what it was from this distance. He realized to his endless frustration, that he also couldn’t really hear them, as he glared at the two men seemingly starting to engage themselves with some kind of light hearted conversation. 

Eren wanted to protest. His eyes flew from one man’s face to the other, expecting at any moment they would turn and come up to take care of him. They should’ve tied him to something, at least he would have no choice but to sit there and wait. But this way, he could just get up and... _No,_ he took a deep breath to calm himself. He knew what he was supposed to do – be patient. He had to admit the waiting was bittersweet, the not knowing making him all kinds of excited as he anticipated the moment he would finally lock eyes with blue and silver. He was equally eager to do something, and get on with the fun, just as he was eager to compliantly play their game, by the rules they had set out for him. 

Not a lot of minutes had passed, even though to Eren they were equal to a century, and he saw Levi get up from his seat and slowly make his way towards the small steps that led up to the stage. 

He crouched in front of the boy, “Now this is what a good puppy looks like. “ Levi said, eyes slowly moving up and down Eren’s body, “I’m going to make you come brat. “ He said, pulling the brunet up to a standing position, “After that, Erwin is going to make you come...And after that, well, we’ll see... If you are still able to stand... “

Eren gulped, his heart racing from Levi’s words, his presence and the way his eyes were meanly hot, “Any complaints? “ he asked, as he lowered himself onto his knees, ghosting his lips over Eren’s thighs. 

“N-no, sir” The brunet managed, and a pair of lips immediately connected with his inner thigh, a trail of slow and small kisses being left behind, as Levi moved further and further up. Eren prepared his heart for a teasing, and it flipped with a full 360° circle around itself, when Levi took him in his mouth, immediately after. 

The raven felt it, and he smiled around Eren, before picking up his pace and reducing the man to a mewling mess. It was lovely to hear him moan like that, and Levi dug his fingers into the back of Eren’s legs, bracing himself as he completely swallowed around him, pulling off for a mere second to catch a quick breath and look up at green eyes. But instead of basking in the view of Eren’s wrecked expressions, he instinctively clasped his eyes shut, as he was surprised with, what seemed to be, Eren coming all over his face. 

“You damned brat... “ He hissed, still kneeling. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry... I didn’t m...You “ Eren felt his entire body go up into flames. 

“A warning would’ve been nice... “Levi cut him off, a calmer voice this time, as he stood up and met his eyes with Erwin, who was now up on the stage, and standing behind him. The blond was fakely calm, and Levi knew if they weren’t still wanting to continue the scene, he would probably burst into laughter. Levi turned to Eren before walking off the stage, “It’s fine, we did tease you quite a bit. Hope you’re ready for the second round. “

Eren’s panicked look shifted from Levi’s back, disappearing behind the bar, to Erwin stepping in closer. 

“Don’t worry about him, it’s not like he hadn't experienced that many times before.. “ Blue eyes shrank from the wide grin, “Now let see what can we do about your over-eagerness. “ He said circling around Eren, not giving him much time to think before he latched himself onto the back of his neck, feeling the brunet’s goose bumps, as he ran his fingers over the skin between the ropes. 

Moments later the hands disappeared and Eren heard a fumble, followed by a popping sound, the slippery fingers sneaking their way down to draw circles over his hole, making him moan loudly as his eyes flew shut. He forgot everything that he was worried about a second before, as the tremor of slight overstimulation shook his body. 

“Hmm.. How quickly can I find it? “ Erwin spoke lowly into brown locks, as a single finger slid inside Eren. 

The brunet took a sharp breath in, relaxing almost immediately after, the entirety of the situation not making it difficult for him to get aroused again. A few teasing thrusts and soon another finger was taking his breath away. “More sir...P-leas-ah” He tried to plead, but Erwin was ahead of him, adding the third finger and expertly grazing over his melting spot. 

“That’s it darling, good boys ask politely for the things they want. “ Erwin praised, before kissing the brunet’s shoulder. He found a perfect rhythm to follow, as he kept pressing onto Eren’s prostate in a continuous manner. 

Eren’s legs were shaking, and he leaned his entire weight on the man behind, not being able to hear his own thoughts over the noises that came unabashed form his lips, as Erwin’s fingers were making him crazy.

“Hmm.. Should I lend a hand or should I watch, as Erwin makes you come untouched? “

Green eyes shot open at the voice, to see Levi standing shirtless, the ends of his hair slightly damp, probably from the clean-up he had to do, as he tapped a foot on the floor. Eren wanted nothing more than to feel Levi’s hand on him. 

“I want you to touch me, sir. Could you please touch me? “ He spoke breathless, through his moans, cheeks crimson from the pleasure, with eyes only half-way open. 

It looked like Levi was debating it, as he approached, leaning in close to Eren’s face. 

Grey eyes caught the shimmer of blues over Eren’s shoulder and the lips underneath them leaned forward for a kiss, before the same lips smiled, as the fingers inside Eren pressed down and lingered a bit, making green eyes roll back. 

“It seems to me, there’s no need for that. “ Levi smiled devilishly, cupping Eren’ cheek with one hand and running his fingers through chocolate hairs with the other. 

“Come Eren,” A whisper came from behind, and the brunet didn’t feel the need to struggle anymore, against his restraints or his mind, as he let himself get taken over by the waves his orgasm sent through his body. 

 

*****

 

In a hotel room, a ten minute car ride away, three men were lying in bed, slowly dozing off in between their own words. 

“So...How was that Eren? “ A sleepy voice under equally sleepy blue eyes inquired, turning towards the man in question. 

“What? The bondage, the insane stage sex, or the gentlest shower sex we just had? “ Eren laughed, creasing his tired eyes even more. 

“How about you go one by one... ” Levi suggested, pinching the cheeky cheeks. 

“Huh... I... I loved everything... I think I liked best the when I... “

“If you say the part where you came all over my face, I swear I will push you out of bed. “ Levi threatened half jokingly, putting his arms around Eren like he was ready to lift him from the middle of the bed and make him meet face to face with the floor at any moment. 

“Oh God, “ Eren remembered the incident, “No...”

“Good... If you ever do that again, I will make you crawl naked for a week, as you beg me for forgiveness. “ He added before Eren could continue.

Green eyes looked over to silver. He had no doubts Levi meant what he was saying, but the expression on his face made it so that Eren knew there were no hard or awkward feelings between them.  

They continued to review the nights happenings, Eren mentioning he liked being bound, as he ran his fingers across the beauty marks that the braiding of the rope left on his skin, but would love to not have a small stadium worth of spotlights directed at him next time. 

“You didn’t need to spend so much money on me...” He added lastly, looking around hotel they were in, snuggled in the bed between the two men. 

“Don’t ever worry about such things, “ Erwin petted his unruly hair. “ We didn’t want to drive an entire hour back to our house, and wait so long till we can spoil you... And ourselves. “ 

“Although Shitty glasses offered up their apartment that’s near by,  I would rather sleep on the scorching bottoms of hell, then put a single toe into their filthy apartment... So... This was our best option. “ Levi added in, making a disgusted face. 

Eren laughed, “Shitty Glasses? “

“He means Hanji.” Erwin sighed out smile. 

 

*******

 

Eren woke up from his nap, with two bodies of heat pressed closely to him on each side. He wiggled out, causing a few groans, before he fished out his phone underneath the pile of clothes next to the bed and sat down in the armchair, positioned to face the glass doors of the terrace. 

He turned the screen on. It was 9 p.m. and he realized the nap had him unconscious for a good 2 hours. 

“Slept well? “ A kiss on the neck startled him. He turned around to get a full view of blue eyes, and he smiled into them. _Damn this man was gorgeous._  

A murmur from the bed grabbed onto his attention next and he saw, black hairs standing in every direction, as the man wearing it, tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes. 

“Ready for a party? “ Levi said through a yawn. 

“A what? “ Eren asked, not sure he heard him well. 

“It’s Friday in club Titan, which means good dancing music you can shake your pretty butt too. “ Erwin rested his arms and head on the backrest of the chair, smiling at the slightly bewildered eyes on the other side of it. “There is a lack of kinky happenings though, but you have us for that if needed. “ He winked, before looking back at Levi, who just wiggled his eyebrows in response. 

Erwin had an image of Eren, languidly dancing to harsh music, forever embedded into his brain. It was from one of the first few nights they had interacted with him in the club, which he spent an hour of, staring at the brunet from the bar. He never saw Eren look more sure of himself, or more lost to pleasant feelings, no matter the things they did in the bedroom weeks later, than he was when he was moving to music, safely concealed by the crowd. To not take him out to a club was a crime... Against Eren, but also against Erwin and Levi, the tall blond eager to bask his eyes on his hot boyfriend under the smoke and faint light of the club. 

Levi stood up from the bed, and walked over to lean his elbow over Erwin, who was still hunched over the backrest of the armchair. “So... You’re, in or not? “ He asked, lifting an eyebrow. 

“Of course, I’m in! “ Eren jumped, nearly causing the chair to fall over, the weight suddenly redistributing to Erwin’s side. 

 

*******

 

 _Damn_ , the brunet thought he same thought again, as he picked up his jaw from the hotel floor, and secured it back so he could speak. 

“Both of you look like a million bucks. “ He said a hinge of disappointment noticeable in his voice, as he shifted his eyes to his own wardrobe. He didn’t exactly pack party outfits and especially fetish club outfits, so all he had was his trusty black skinny jeans and a simple peach colored long-sleeved shirt that said “Sleeves are for nerds. “

As always Erwin had a suit on, it was completely black but not too formal, the plain white t-shirt under it adding to the casualness. The few thin, black, spiked, belts coming out from under his sleeve, that ended up hooked around his fingers were definitely adding to the kink vibe. 

Levi of course went full kink, with a faint blue collared t-shirt that, expect the sleeves, the collar and the seam where the buttons went, was covered in see-through lace and sinfully tight leather pants ending a little above his ankles. The same colored leather hanged around his wrists in form of a few bracelets. His make-up was every bit flawless. 

“Here. You can keep it if you like it “ Levi offered, extending a similar leathery bracelet he had on his own wrists, towards Eren. This one had spikes like Erwin hand-belts though. 

“Oh...uhh...It’s really cool, so hell yeah. Thank you! “ Eren secured it around his hand and concluded it goes well with his outfit, as well as the two gorgeous man across him, as all three of them were now wearing similar accessories. 

 “Is my dress code according to your liking, sirs? “ Eren twirled, mocking Erwin and Levi for not wanting to let him in, on the first night he attempted to get into club Titan. 

“Be sassy like that, and you might not even make it out this door. “ Erwin warned, smiling a moment after, as they went out the room and into the night. 

Not being equipped for a party, Eren didn’t have any disguise at hand before, and Erwin and Levi promised to get him one at the door, but as soon as she saw them, Petra happily offered Eren to choose whichever mask he wanted, on the house, the brunet smelling the words “birthday present” all over her gesture. He still accepted the offer though, eyes landing on a light grey mouthpiece, the plastic it was made of, painted to look like the metal used for crafting medieval armor. It had two circles on each side, engraved with a flower pattern, to which two pretty red ribbons were attached, that were in turn, supposed to be hooked around the ears and head, keeping the mask in place. 

“I knew you would choose that one ,you helpless nerd. “ Levi laughed, recognizing the mask immediately from a show they both watched. 

Eren just shrugged his shoulders, and smiled, before putting on the mask and following the two men through the door. 

The club was crowded, as usual for a Friday night, as Eren observed some of the well-known and the other newer faces, confusion clearly readable from the latter, even though they were all hidden behind some sort of mask. He chuckled, thinking how not too long ago, he felt as equally lost as them. It occurred to him too that, he was definitely not “the new one” anymore and a strange sense of accomplishment started to fill up his head. He dared and he did, he thought, despite his anxieties and doubts, and thanks to that he was now happy, after long times of not even being close to that feeling. 

Still, he could always count on the secret drawers of his mind to swing open at inconvenient times, and remind him of what all those years of gloom were about, as he noted that he never saw that Dina woman again, in the club, or anywhere for that matter, after their... Incident in this very room. He couldn’t help but ponder about all the possible reasons, and he felt his own facial expression curve slowly downward, before a yank on his hand jolted him both out from his thoughts and from the place he was peacefully standing at. 

“Gosh.. What..? “ He uttered with furrowed eyebrows as he saw himself speed through the crowds of people, eyes landing on a beautiful leather covered ass, leading the way. 

“Sit. “ Levi practically pushed him down onto the chair, as they arrived into the storage room behind the bar. Eren never even noticed the small bag Levi apparently carried all the way through here in his other hand. 

A red pencil materialized from it, and was now making its way towards Eren’s face. 

“What on Earth are you doing Levi? “ He tried to dodge the thing, but the grip on the back of his head, had the force of a fucking bear trap. 

“Shut up, and close your eyes. “ Levi offered no explanation. 

“Fine, geesh...Just try not to stop the blood flow to my brain please... Or poke my eye out. “ Eren laughed, putting a hand over Levi’s, who loosened the grip on his neck to human levels. 

“Tch. “ The raven looked into green eyes, “And here I was thinking you trust me. “

A few minutes later, Eren was looking into a mirror, as Levi’s actions started to click in his brain. 

“Oooh, I see... “ He said, turning his head to look at the eye make up from as many angles as possible. 

“Oh indeed. “ Levi smiled, “Now you get to live your nerdy cosplay dream at least a little bit. “

“Are you sure this is _my dream_ , that we are talking about? “ Eren raised an immaculately filled eyebrow, as well as a valid question. 

“Shut up”, Levi answered after a moment of silence. "I don't want to see you frown tonight ok? You'll fuck up the work I did."

 

The night proceeded to be filled with Eren, immersing himself and melting together with Sasha’s and Connie’s eclectic music selection, as they followed the vibe of the crowd and made adjustments to their music accordingly. It was every other song that Eren found a pair of hands, running down his back, or grasping at his shoulders or waist, as Erwin seemed to not be able to resist touching him throughout the entire evening. Contrary to that, a stubbornly sexy dark-haired man refused to dance, no matter how sweet or temptingly promising Eren’s pleads were. 

The brunet was in the middle of the dance floor, with blue eyes watching him hazily through the smoke, both bodies moving swimmingly against each other, as Eren was doing his signature slow-motion movements making the fast music his own, and matching his sway to it, in his own rhythm, when a familiar melody started to emerge behind the layered noises of the previous track. Even though the voice was pulled through a few filters and was played back in a much lower pitch, the base and the rhythm section arranged in a different manner from the original, making it a remix that left only the melody intact, Eren had no doubts it was definitely Kylie Minogue that was currently blaring through the speakers. He laughed at the realization, thinking how it was probably the last thing he would assume to hear at a fetish club known for its dark music. But he had to admit, Sasha and Connie twisted it perfectly to fit the aesthetic, and he closed his eyes, leaning his back on Erwin torso, as he let his head pillow itself on the man’s shoulder. 

 

_Slow down and dance with me..._

_Yeah, slow..._

 

Green eyes opened to catch silver ones looking at them from a bar. Eren started to move towards him. If the stone-cold mountain wasn’t going to come to him, he was going to come to the mountain. With Erwin flushed to his back, they both started to slowly inch their way to the bar, Levi’s eyes growing proportionately to their closeness. Only when he was a breath away from the raven’s beautiful face, did Eren stop, grabbing Levi’s hands and putting them on his own hips, making sure the man could feel their compelling swing. 

 

_Skip a beat and move with my body..._

 

Eren mouthed to Levi, making all three men burst into laughter.

Green eyes then disappeared from their line if sight, as the brunet bent at the knees to seductively lower himself down almost to a crouch between the two men. 

Erwin looked at Levi, shrugging while a sly smile tugged on the right corner of his lips. 

“Fine. “ Levi mouthed, rolling his eyes, as Eren’s head popped up in front of him again. He leaned his forehead to the brunet’s. “You win brat. “ He smiled as they slowly dragged him to the podium. 

 

_Read my body language..._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can fully admit now , that this entire chapter exist because of that Kylie song ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	17. Breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [FKA twigs - Breathe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDtgPOOtu_w)

It’s been around an hour, that the moon followed closely after them, as the neon cityscape gradually changed to greenery filled landscapes. Eren stared at the bright glow around it from the back window, the continuous humming of the car engine making him drowsy, as he stretched his long legs over the backseat, trying to fit himself more comfortably between the two car doors. He wondered how was it possible that, even after waking up so late that day, their decision to completely skip out on the existence of morning caused by the fact that, _it was morning_ when they went to sleep, it was still so easy to doze off, the tired ache of his muscles, creeping up to his eyelids, as he struggled to keep them open. He shifted his gaze from one bright object to another, the glitter of blue eyes in the rear-view mirror, hindered only by the soft puff of slightly noticeable under-eye wrinkles. And while the vivid signs of an exciting night had not taken away anything from Erwin’s usual calm and composed expression, the same markings over grey eyes had caused the raven’s narrow features to gentle, the yawn taking over his face, making Levi look near childlike. This was the umpteenth time he smiled at them – surreptitiously, at least that’s what he though he was doing, quickly shifting his gaze back to the window, as soon as a pair of eyes met his own.

There was something, that was keeping him awake despite his weariness. It had not left the confines of his mind ever since he heard the two men make the suggestion, and he was musing over it, pouring it from one part of his brain to another, trying to decide which area would eventually have the victory. It wasn’t anxiety or trepidation, that was keeping the final decision out of his reach this time, the fear of the unknown almost fully lost, to the trust he felt towards the two people in the front seat. He knew them, and whatever situation they would get themselves into from this point on, Eren could be sure there was never going to be any harm, physical or emotional imposed up on him on purpose. He might’ve had no idea, what to expect from the future, but _he knew them_ , and that was enough for him to feel safe.

What kept rearranging the weights, on the measuring scale of his thoughts was the fact that he himself wasn’t sure what he wanted... Or rather in this case, he wanted many of the things at the same time. They had a full day and night to spend at a remote cottage, one that Levi and Erwin liked to apparently escape to sometimes, renting it out for weekends just like this one, when there were occasions that would call for a vacation. The location was quite peculiar, a single house surrounded by a vast field, away from any signs of human activity, so much so that one needed a very specific set of instructions to find their way to the rental. What would they do when they got there however, was entirely in Eren’s hands.

He sighed, as his eyes shifted up into thinking-mode. One option was to _\- do nothing_ , and Eren would’ve lied if he said, that didn’t sound like an absolutely blissful manner to gather as many happy memories as he could, replacing the stale and sour ones from previous occasions he associated with his birthday. He was aware, that most likely because of his current sleepiness, his brain gravitated towards this option, which he imagined to be filled with, cheesy nature walks, lounging on wide sofas, video games, good food and lots of lazy sex on every piece of furniture that could accommodate the three of them.

_We could totally just do that..._

The image of Levi stretching on the bed as he said that, came back to Eren’s mind. _Yeah_ , he thought, they could...but...

There was another possibility, one that spurred the butterflies in his stomach into a frantic flight, one that didn’t allow for much laziness, but had the potential to be just as equally enjoyable.

_We could train you a bit, Eren. You are in need of some... discipline. If your curious enough and up for it._

He was up for it alright, the very moment the words left Erwin’s mouth, the space in his pants becoming just a bit tighter. It was crazy what their words, combined with Eren’s imagination were able to do to him. Every additional minute that he spent thinking about it, he was more and more certain there was no good excuse to say no. Sure, they could spend their precious day curled up in front of a TV, which was, especially with Levi’s anti-sappy policies, magic in itself. But they could also use this time to discover each other, scrape of some additional inhibitions that would reveal more of their true colors. The fact that Eren had a single word in his possession, that had the power to revert things back to the initially suggested pizza and cuddles, made it futile to be hesitant about any sort of new experiences. He could try anything, and if he didn’t like it he could just not do it. It was something he liked most about this “twisted” world, everyone’s wish was something worthy of being respected and taken into consideration, but at the same time nobody was obligated to participate in any activity that would end in discomfort. They _could_ do anything, but the _didn’t have to_. And right about at that moment, Eren had decided that this time, they _would_.

******

A hand between his legs woke him up from a dream, one that he failed to recall as soon as he took a conscious breath... He didn’t have the time, nor did he even want to bother to remember, as he was slowly becoming aware of, not only the pleasant feeling slowly climbing up his body, but also a second pair of hands, fingers running way to closely around the spot between his butt cheeks.

“Oh good you’re awake, “ Eren heard a voice tuned to sweet, seductive levels. He finally opened his eyes to see Levi’s face hovering over his own, black strands grazing over the skin of it, making it prickle shyly. Instead of an answer, he only managed an air-filled moan, the face above him smiling with satisfaction.

“Good morning. “ Eren turned his half-lidded gaze to the left towards another voice , clashing directly with morning sun-lit blue eyes and soft lips, which he proceeded to enjoy for the next few moments.

“Now you... “ He heard the words against his lips, as Erwin broke their kiss, grabbing Eren’s right hand and directing it to where Levi’s was touching him just a second ago, making him clasp his fingers around his own arousal.

“Show us what you do when you think of us... “ The raven brushed unruly brown locks away, before whispering into the boys right ear, using the fact that it was exposed, due to Eren turning his head.

_What?!_ Eren thought, still a bit drunk from sleep to actually say it, as he looked between the two men, seeking a confirmation that he indeed understood correctly what they wanted him to do, just now.

“Awfully shy, aren’t you? “ Erwin smiled at him.

“He’s not fooling us, with those lost Bambi eyes though ... “ Levi commented, grabbing Eren’s fist and very slowly moving it together with his own, around Eren’s cock.

Just as another moan escaped his lips, the small hand disappeared, but Eren kept at the movements, the feeling getting to good to stop.

“Good boy, “ Erwin praised, running his fingers across chocolate hairs. “Now... You will do this until you are close to your orgasm, at which point you’ll slow down, to bring yourself back from it...Do you understand? “ He continued, grabbing onto Eren’s hair just little bit tighter.

It was usually Levi who was rough with his touches and words, Erwin letting him run the show as he sat on the sides observing and offering sooth or spice depending on what the situation called for. It was nice to feel the cracks in the blonds ever so calm composition from time to time, and Eren was more surprised by it showing up now, than with the request that was put upon him. He knew first hand, Erwin was not as nearly this gentle with Levi, and the brunet hoped he would get to see more of where that hair pull came from. “Yes, sir, “ The boy spoke between soft hums of breath.

“Repeat what exactly was asked of you to do. “ Levi spoke up, wanting to make sure Eren heard and registered fully what was they had said. The brunet did so, and now Levi offered some gentle words in exchange, “That’s right brat, you’re doing well so far... “, He leaned his lips over the side if Eren’s neck, and grazed it gently with the edge of his teeth, feeling the goose bumps form on the sensitive skin, belonging to an even more sensitive brat. “He’s already a complete mess” Levi continued placing kisses over the boy’s neck, making the remark more to himself than to anybody else, as he climbed Eren’s skin, reaching his ear.

“I guess that’s just flattering to us, isn’t it? “ Erwin said, propped up on his elbow, as he lay on his side next to the two men, watching their bodies move, tantalizingly against each other.

Levi huffed softly over Eren’s ear before smiling, “I guess... Tell us when you’re close brat. “

“I’m close! “ A voice, raised a few pitches above its usual, exclaimed immediately, and narrowed eyebrows followed to confirm the statement.

“Ok pup, enjoy yourself just a little more, and stop as soon as you feel you’re going to come. “ Erwin instructed gently, and Eren hated his caring voice, the pet name, Levi’s warm body over his own and the smirk on his face, as none of it was helping to keep him from flying over the edge, not daring to indulge even in single additional stroke, knowing all to well he would not be able to stop himself if he did. He let go with a frustrated sigh.

“Very good Eren... “ Levi said, as he sat up over the naked boy.

“Careful with the praise. “ Erwin chuckled, seeing Eren’s helpless face only get spurred on more with Levi regarding him so nicely.

“Tch.” Levi raised an eyebrow, making Eren curse every ancient deity he could remember the name of, using the memory search to distract himself from the fact that he was lying naked on a bed, with one completely clothed man above him and another half naked one on his left, both of their smells speeding up his blood flow, all the while being fully hard and not being allowed to come. A few minutes passed and just as his circulation started finally to go to places that were not his crotch, grey eyes sparkled up with a glint.

“Again. “ Levi instructed, taking Eren’s hand, as green eyes widened with confusion.

The same cycle repeated once more, the duration of it being even shorter this time, Eren having to stop seconds after feeling Levi’s nails on his thighs.

“Deep breaths darling. “ A soft voice pacified, and Eren took the advice trying to breathe away his need as well as the sweat gathering on his forehead. The hums filled the air for the next few moments, Eren keeping his determination to see through whatever Levi and Erwin had planned for him. He knew this was all for his own good - learning to take control over his own pleasure, meant he would eventually get to indulge in it for longer, all the while being the good sub he so eagerly wanted to be for them. He also had a high suspicion, his efforts would not go unrewarded, and all of this kept him going as he let the rise and fall of his stomach gradually wash the arousal to bearable levels. He looked up, and then to the left, waiting for further instructions.

Levi got up from the bed, and left the room, green eyes flying to blue immediately , the blonde only smiling at him as he caressed his warm cheeks. They hadn’t said anything but the look was enough for Eren to know he should just continue to trust them, and he smiled back, offering the same reassurance to his dom. A slap of many sheets of paper against the wooden desk, shifted Eren’s gaze to the right.

“Now brat... You will pull up your pants and re-write the ‘DISLIKE’ section on all three contracts. “ Levi grumbled, as he pulled the covers off the bed completely. “Frankly it has been irking me since the first moment that I saw what you had written down , and seeing that we are now on vacation and have plenty of free time, I feel like is the prefect opportunity to rectify that. “

To say that every millimeter of Eren’s body heated up from the need to revolt was an understatement. Knowing the fact that he essentially brought this upon himself, when he purposefully slacked of to properly fill out that section, in hopes of getting on Levi’s perfectionist nerves, made him even more agitated. This... Was certainly a good lesson, and he scribbled out a note and pinned it to his mind, as a reminder that the two men were not going to hesitate in using any of his mischievous behavior as an excuse for punishment. He got up from the bed, and pulled on his pajama bottoms, heavily sighing out, as even the innocent friction caused by the cotton fabric had caused small jolts of electricity to course through his body. He sat down and opened the first bulk of papers, turning the pages with slightly shaky fingers, until he was at the part of the contract in question.

Levi and Erwin looked at him with not-so-hidden surprise. They both looked at each other, the feeling of being touched by Eren’s willingness to please them and play along, written out in the lines of their expressions. They knew they were pushing him out of his comfort zone and yet the brunet had not let out a squeak of complaint so far, the surprise only reflected in the fiery lightening of emerald eyes, which they took note of and observed carefully. They waited for his word, but it had never came as Eren finished with one bulk of papers and moved on to the next. Levi moved back to the bed, laying himself between Erwin’s legs covered in a comforter, resting his head on naked stomach muscles. The whole game had not been in motion for more than a half an hour, but they knew their wonderful boy was probably starting to get painfully hard by now, and they were fully ready to take care of that, the moment Eren would put his pen down.

It was not necessary to tell him twice to come over to the bed, when he did so, as the brunet’s breathing started to slowly speed up again, while they ran their hands over his shoulders, down his stomach, and eventually touching him where he needed it the most. A heavy moan filled the room, and they showered him in even more affection, not stopping this time until he cried out his orgasm under the control of Levi’s expert mouth and Erwin’s flawlessly constructed, sweet words.

It was a perfect start to a day which was to be spent in a similar manner, a fair bit of teasing administered with a sole purpose of intensifying each moment of release, the two doms playing slowly with their sub, as they felt themselves grow more and more attached to the view of needy green eyes. The fact that later events would pull a large, rain-filled cloud over the memory of this rarely sunny day, made Erwin and Levi carry around a deeply sour taste in their mouths, for a long time. Events which, as they decided, Eren would still stay blissfully unaware of for a least the next few days.

*******

Levi immediately noticed something was off. Erwin wasn’t referring to him as “his kitten” only because the raven possessed the elegance and fieriness of the beautiful creature, but also because Levi’s senses were just as sharp and caution-prone, so much so that even in complete darkness, which greeted them at the gate to their home, grey eyes caught onto something in their mailbox, the lid to it just a little bit short of completely closed. He took the black folder, both of their expressions purposefully staying casual, and without checking it or without any of them uttering a single word they unlocked the gate, walked through their backyard and into their house, speaking only after they locked the door behind them.

“It’s them right? “ Erwin spoke with an almost whisper.

Levi took a note of the red H. S. letters scribbled on the inside of the cover, “It seem so. “

“Took them quite a while this time don’t you think? “ The taller man remarked, taking of his coat.

“Yeah... I suppose the files where harder to access than usual, “ Levi pressed his lips together, “That doesn’t give me a hopeful feeling at all... “

Erwin gave a similar worried smile, before he gently put a palm on his boyfriends back, walking with him into the living room. They had just spent such a peaceful day with Eren, and the feeling of contentment was now gone, just as if it never existed in the first place. The blond sighed and sat down on the sofa, waiting to hear whatever the dreadful documents were about to reveal.

Levi’s expression never changed as his eyes flew across the first page, and then the second and third, until he finally put the papers down and closed his eyes in anger. “This... Is not good. “


	18. A lesson in Vulcan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [A Lesson in Vulcan Mineralogy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZQtyiZVJpM)

They have to tell him, Erwin thought with a loud sigh, as he sat with a book in his hand, his bodyweight completely melted into the backrest of the armchair. The glasses on his nose were at the brink of slipping off, as his attempts to read were constantly interrupted by his own internal monologue, mind going back to the pressing feeling of dull pain in his abdomen, the one that would remind you of an upcoming, unpleasant task even when you’ve made an effort to distract yourself from it. That, combined with the racket coming from the sofa right next to him, forced the blond to eventually put the book down in defeat. He glared at the loud offenders of his peaceful attempts at reading. None of this was going as he wished it would’ve gone.

Days after they came back from their little vacation, the event, that had, by now re-written itself in their minds as the day they got _the documents_ , Eren had disappeared under a pile of deadlines, and it was almost a week after, when he finally came over again. Instead of concerning themselves with explaining hurtful and complex topics - hands, lips and tongues were quick to rather convey desire, the three men painting their need and affection on each other’s skin for the next few hours. It was easy to postpone and forget, put it aside for just a little longer, when the lively, jade-colored eyes of their brat,  showed up at the door wearing the candy-scented perfume under his clothes. Delaying the “talk” was a no-brainer, as they made sure Eren’s outfit was scattered on the floor, by the time he reached the end of the hallway. Making him writhe, squirm and plead, before they would eventually let him sigh out his bliss seemed far more urgent and necessary, than breaking the bubble they so carefully crafted around him. But that was bound to happen too. _Tomorrow,_ they thought...They’ll tell him tomorrow. 

That was almost exactly 24 hours ago, and sitting here now, the resolve to go through with it had seemed just as far. Erwin saw it as clear as the letters in the book through his glasses, it was not happening today either, and he decided once again that Eren’s irresistibly innocent eyelash batting were to be blamed.

Since they woke up, the brunet had been on a mission of jabbing small-needle like daggers into Levi’s ice castle. It was probably one of the last bricks that he was about to break, Erwin thought with a snicker, before the raven would’ve finally realize there was no need to hide behind it anyway, seeing that Eren’s body warmth had already melted the majority of Levi’s walls.

It all started out very promisingly, with Eren throwing in small, teasing remarks about Levi’s supposed interest in pop-culture related roleplay, all prompted by that “sit-down-and-let-me-turn-you-into-this-character-with-makeup” incident from Eren’s birthday party at club Titan. Green eyes shifted sheepishly from right to left, throughout the whole day, trying to guess what kind of fantasy was hidden inside Levi’s mind. 

“I bet it’s some good angst filled hero/villain trope? “ Eren squinted his eyes, pointing towards Levi. “Clark Kent and Lex Luthor? “

“No. “ Levi deadpanned, grabbing onto Eren’s finger and pushing it away from his face.  

“Best friends then? Frodo and Sam? “ Eren laughed loudly, as soon as the words left his lips. 

“Do you have a death wish brat? “ Levi growled realizing he have just been compared to a hobbit. 

“Oh wait, you like make up, maybe you guys like to pretend that... “ Eren was just about to make another wild guess, one that would probably get shut down the same as every single one before, when he finally caught onto Erwin’s gaze, hinting discreetly at the DVD collection under their TV. 

“Oh my gosh, scratch everything, I know exactly what it is! “ Eren squeaked making Levi shut one ear with his finger. “It’s Star Trek! Of course... “ 

This was headed in an interesting direction, Erwin thought at the time. It was bound to be so much more fun for Levi, to play with someone who shared his interest in the show just as equally, considering the fact that, even though Erwin watched it and concluded it was good, his love for history was prevalent and extended way beyond his job and hobbies, spilling just as much into their bedroom. Futuristic scenarios were not exactly his forte. 

But instead of a potentially exciting evening, green and grey eyes were currently engaged in a loud battle over, what Erwin could only describe as a matter of pointless semantics. He didn’t understand the need to passionately debate over the correct lettering of the name that the followers of said TV show would call themselves. He even dared to voice his annoyance, trying to revert the conversation back to a course, that had the potential to eventually lead them to their

prop room and then the bedroom...But his interference was meet with him being quickly dismissed,  ending in Levi calling him an old man. He considered for a few minutes whether to just strip both of them down and punish them right then and there, for regarding him so impolitely, and even more in order to just shut them up... But he let them talk about the things, they probably had no one else to truly talk about to. He decided to just sign this off as a weird bonding exercise between the two. 

In a fit of overly-dramatic anger Levi stood up from the sofa and stomped over the living room towards the kitchen. “Don’t even talk to me until you have come to your senses. “ He raised his palm as a physical stop sign, before disappearing into the other room. 

“And while we’re at it... “ Raven hairs popped up again through the door frame, after a few minutes of peaceful silence, “She is actually a dragon! “

Eren stared at him incredulously, “Wha-t? W-ho? “ He had no idea what Levi was suddenly talking about. 

“Maleficent... She is not a witch or a fairy... She is a dragon. You can see how you are just constantly in the wrong. “ Levi recited quickly, like the information he was conveying was of utmost importance. 

A laugh broke out, louder than before, “That’s not...” Eren struggled through his giggles, “It’s just her... “ He wanted to explain how and why the logic of that was incorrect, but it really seemed unimportant at this point, as he was once again mind blown over the walking contradiction that was Levi. So cool yet so lame, Eren laughed, he could freeze a room full of people with one stare, but he himself was so easily melted with a few pokes in the right spot. He was gone by now anyway, the clinking coming from the kitchen, revealing that a serious tea brewing process was in motion. 

Apart from that, no sound had made its presence for the next few minutes. _This was his chance_ , Erwin thought as he stood up and put a finger over his lips, while looking at the  green eyes on his left, that suddenly grew with confusion. He motioned with his other hand for the boy to come, and the two men silently made their way out of the living room and into the hallway. Erwin turned the key to the prop room and they stepped in, Eren’s scrunched face trying to figure out what was going on, making him smile inaudibly.

Being a dom, came with the need to not only be assertive and confident and strong and gentle at the same time, but it was also necessary to be creative and flexible enough to be able to improvise when the situation called for it. Erwin’s years of experience made him a master of all above mentioned. He glanced at Eren once, before he decidedly left the room, only to come back with a white, long-sleeve dress shirt a few minutes later. “Take your clothes off and put this on. “ He said in a firm tone, the muscles in his mouth twitching slightly from the amusement, that he managed to conceal with a bit of effort . His instructions had to be clear and made with no joke, if he wanted his subs to obey without hesitation. Eren sometimes made that hard, swallowing both him and Levi with the deepness of his questioning gaze. _God dammit he’s so cute_ , Erwin thought as he watched awkward hands drag a zipper down, pants falling to the floor to reveal Eren was already pretty eager, even though he had no clue what was about to happen. While Eren was undressing Erwin did the same, fishing out a grey jumpsuit, the tell-tale triangular insignia on his left chest, making the boy’s eyes widen with the realization. He smiled. 

The thick, soft cotton slid over tan muscles. It was just a bit too big, making it perfect for the occasion, covering Eren’s body to the middle of his thighs. Erwin buttoned the shirt up for him, leaving the ones closest to the neck loose, as he flipped the collar up a moment later. “Perfect. “ He murmured, before gently pulling Eren in for a kiss. 

“I just imagined the blue lights and white flares around us. “ Eren giggled shyly. 

Erwin needed a few moments to catch onto what Eren was referring to, before putting a palm on his cheek and directing their lips to touch once more. “Come. “ He said as he pulled Eren through the house and into the bedroom. 

******

“We have a situation. “ Erwin said, abruptly showing up at the kitchen door, startling Levi out of his warm tea and crosswords induced thought-anesthesia. “Your assistance is requested at the recreation deck.” Levi raised an eyebrow at him, scanning him up and down in the tight grey uniform. Erwin only let a small tug take over his lips, “And please, put your uniform on, before you come. “

Minutes later Levi walked into the bedroom. Surprises like this weren’t that common, but they happened enough times before for him to not be too taken aback, by Erwin starting a scene out of nowhere. He wanted to smile at the old pervert but another picture robbed at his attention. Eren was kneeling on the floor, legs spread, and hands in velcro handcuffs secured around his back. The shirt he was wearing rode up, uncovering bare thighs as the muscles on it tightened and relaxed in unsteady intervals. Levi’s eyes darkened with lust.

On the other side of the same view things looked just as equally appetizing, as Eren lifted his head to look at the man that had just walked into the room. Levi’s every curve was visible through the fabric of the pale blue bodysuit, and as he walked a few half circles around Eren, green eyes followed along, drinking in the view of calves and thighs, stare lingering on the famously perfect ass.  The legs stopped, facing towards him, and Eren shifted his gaze up to meet the eyes of the man standing in front of him. He gasped silently, both from what his eyes landed on, and from the vibrations that came from the bright pink toy in a shape of a spade symbol, teasingly placed between his butt cheeks, as he felt their intensity kicking up a notch. He stared with half open eyes at Levi’s pair of Vulcan ears, while panting from the overwhelming sensations glimmering through his nerves, that spread from his lower body. He might've even laughed in some other situation, Levi’s tendency to go full on with everything, apparently extended to cosplay too, but all he could think about is how even with the ridiculous ears and outfit, this man looked damn sexy, looking down at him with humanities meanest eyes, appearing as indifferent as ever. It drove Eren crazy. 

“Did he talk? “ Levi spoke, not directing his look away from the boy. 

A man, leaning on the wall that was right from the room’s entrance, smiled devilishly, flinging the small remote control in his fingers like car keys. “No. “ Was the short answer. 

Levi crouched down, grabbing onto a lax chin, adjusting it in a way, that one could draw a perfectly straight line from one iris to another. “He will. “ He said sharply. 

Erwin got a pretty spectacular show out of it, the two men staring each other down like wild animals, before Levi grabbed onto Eren’s shirt and ripped it open, sending buttons flying all the way to the other corner of the room. He roughly snatched the boy’s chin again, and started placing open mouthed kisses, teeth baring themselves to graze over the soft skin. He kissed him everywhere... except on the mouth, and Erwin huffed with satisfactory grin. Levi should have a cam show or something with Eren, cause this view was worth paying for. 

Eren was unable to catch a break, being completely shrunk down to blabber and moans. He really wanted to put his lips on something... Or over something he didn’t care, but the grip on his jaw didn’t falter as his face was pushed around to avoid any contact with any part of Levi. How long did they plan to keep him, quite literally, on his toes? In all honesty, Eren hoped forever. Except for the immediate sensations, his mind was blank, there was no past or future, just this moment that was a mix of frustration and pure bliss. Suddenly Levi let go of his chin, and silvery eyes met his own for a strong few moments, before continuing on their way of making him shudder with every muscle in his body. Another muscle tightened inside of Eren then, but this was not caused by any physical touch. It was ironically the complete opposite of that, as Eren’s heart fluttered realizing Levi had just entrusted him with behaving as it was expected of him, on his own. The Eren from a few months ago would launch his lips at the first given opportunity, touching whatever of Levi or Erwin he could reach with them, in order for to satisfy the need at the pit of his stomach. 

The Eren kneeling here right now, was different. He kept the bond they created on a pedestal, hell, he kept both of the men there as well, valuing their trust in him, the same way he felt valued by them. He kept his head in a position it was left in, until instructed otherwise.

It didn’t take too much of sweet play-torture, or to many notches on the remote of the vibrator for Eren to play-confess to being a spy in disguise, and the plan he and his ship had, to destroy the Earth. 

“What a naughty, naughty brat. “ Erwin approached lifting Eren’s head by grabbing a fistful of his hair. 

“This brat... Is about to wipe out every living thing on Earth, “ Levi ran a finger from the boys neck to the bottom of his stomach, “Now... What do you suggest we do? Spank him? “

Erwin answered with a smirk. 

Eren let himself be lifted into a standing position, the grip of large hands on him strong, which he was thankful for, as they stood together for a few moments, making sure the brunet’s blood flow was distributed again equally into all parts of his body. Despite the taller and more sexy version of Decker standing in front of him and obscuring his view, Eren noticed when Levi slipped out of the room and now that he was slowly escorted to the foot of the bed, green eyes caught onto him coming back, a familiar object in his hands. It was purple, and it looked like a comb, with one hard side, and the other soft. He gulped. 

“Over my knees. “ Levi instructed concisely, after sitting down onto the side of the bed. 

Eren moved dutifully, Erwin gladly helping him out, running his hands over the brunet’s body an unnecessary amount of times, until the same fingers slid down to grab gently onto the toy in Eren’s ass, making him gasp. 

“I am going to take this out ok?” He wiggled the pink rubber, not being able to resist the opportunity to tease a bit. A few more circles right and left, and he slid it out, following up with a line, he drew over Eren’s hole with his tongue a second later, making the brunet cry out, completely unashamed. 

The first smack happened in a few moments, the sound of it more prominent than the force of the hit itself. The second and the third followed quickly after, perfectly affecting the same soft, fleshy part of his lower buttocks, the intensity rising in barely noticeable intervals. It was enough though, for Eren to feel his entire body buzzing, the feeling of warmth gradually spreading through his bloodstream. The contacts changed – the hard surface of the paddle switched for a hand, a smaller one first, morphing into a larger and stronger one on other occasions, the smooth fur-like fabric interrupting sometimes in between, sliding over the impacted, pulsing hot skin, and occasionally sliding down to his inner thighs. In the context of their game, this may have counted as punishment, but Eren could only feel himself grow harder as his head floated away into pleasure land, the pleasant electric prickling never leaving his body. It would’ve ended soon, with him coming all over Levi’s still uniform clad thighs, _Fuck,_ he thought trying to control his ragged breathing, he was able to only handle so much, but us seemed like his doms were reading him loud and clear. 

“Not planning to indulge in a orgasm are you? “ All of the sensations stopped as Erwin lifted him from Levi’s lap to stand on his knees. 

Eren breathed out heavily,  “N-no, sir. ”

“Not yet, is the right answer, “ Erwin whispered comfortingly, over his shoulder, smoothing his palm softly over the top of brown hairs.

Eren heard the shriek of velcro straps as his arms swung forward, finally being released from their restraints, Levi catching his hands in his own, as he pressed his fingers into the sore joints a few times, before pulling Eren up to the bed. He was pushed down, landing on his back, Levi straddling his hips, the feeling of being pulled by the legs following a second after, as he glided down further on the silky fabric draped over the mattress. 

 “Do you need to be prepared more? “a voice sounded from behind Levi’s back, as a fingers slid over the spot between his ass cheeks. That... Was more than enough. “N-no-oh, sir. “ He shuddered out his words. The trembling only increased as Erwin slid himself in, gently at first, stilling himself for a few seconds, to let Eren adjust. Any and all feelings and pangs of discomfort were forgotten, when green eyes landed on Levi slowly lowering himself over Eren's cock, the absolutely shit-eating smirk gracing the self-satisfied face, as the raven made sure to overtly announce his pleasure by biting down onto his lower lip. Erwin started to move, and Levi started to rock teasingly, making porn star-worthy circles with his hips over Eren, green eyes rolling back, as all coherence floated away into the air, somewhere far above his head.

_I...ah...have to... hold-uh... until..._

He started meeting their movements, making sure to provide as much pleasure to them as he could in this moment and position. He blinked his eyes at Levi, before toppling his gaze down to the man’s arousal swaying in its full length, not far from Eren’s face. 

“Cc..Can I? “ He extended his arm. 

“Can you what? “ Levi smirked, drawing a circle around Eren’s belly button, as it rose and dipped rapidly. 

_Fuck._

“Can I touch you sir? “ He sneaked his way out of saying something that would set his face into flames even more. He immediately concluded this action would probably come back later with a vengeance. 

Levi’s hands moved from Eren’s stomach, back to his thighs. “You better. “ The raven remarked, a hum escaping his lips as Eren’s fingers wrapped around him. 

******

“You’re so good to us Eren, “ Levi spoke in a whisper, hovered over the brunet’s sweat drenched body. He wanted to praise him for keeping himself in check, and managing to be the last one to orgasm, but he realized he was being soft-spoken for many other reasons as well. He placed his left cheek over Eren’s chest, as he lay down on top of him, scoffing at his confusion, as the boy awkwardly flailed his arms in mid air, deciding whether to dare and put his arms around Levi. Without looking at him, he grabbed onto his hands and wrapped them around himself, feeling Eren sighing out in content moments after. 

“The bath is rea-dy. “ Erwin called from the door, stopping mid-word, before continuing to morph the last few letters in with a stupid smile. _Fucking finally, it seems like the ice have melted._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY for probably not giving you the chapter that you wanted, I promise we will focus completely on the drama parts from the next one, but I had no where else to fit this utterly ridiculous piece of smut.  
> And while we're at it I apologize for the Decker x Ilia x Spock pairing that I came up with and that probably shouldn't exist xD  
> Here is the scene that Eren refers to in the [beginning ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4d6KGjYBaY)
> 
> Hope you can still enjoy it and won't hate me too much :)


	19. Dark rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Current Value - Dark Rain](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/173125430988/current-value-dark-rain)

The black carton looked like a splinter embedded into pale skin, as it sat on the all-white table, in the all-white, sterile environment of the _Zoe Research Lab_.  It stung just as much. A few sheets of paper fluttered above it, a hand squeezing onto them with way more force than necessary, making their rustle the only sound that filled the room. Blue eyes ran over the contents of it, once, twice and then even three times, blond head sinking down to eventually lean on the other, free hand elbowing the table. Fingers squeezed onto golden hairs with the same intensity, as his right hand was currently clutching to the paper. Armin was angry...The feeling had bubbled up in him unnoticed, as he looked up disapprovingly, to the only other two people standing in the lab. Was he mad at them? He certainly had the right to be... Who the hell did they think they were, digging up such sensitive, such dangerous information about Eren’s family, meddling into his life like this? Why did they ever think it was in any realms of rationality to listen and give into the words of a reckless , immature child-in-a-skin-of-an-adult, that was Eren? Why did they not know better? He scolded them with his stare for a long few seconds, before slowly putting the papers down and opting to let his eyes focus out on nothing, as he contemplated how he felt, and what words should he let come out of his mouth next.

They showed up, out of the blue about half an hour ago, Erwin and Levi, each of them competing for the most-grim face award, as they informed Armin they needed to talk. He was in the middle of painstakingly filling up rows of blank spaces, divided by thin black lines, noting down the conclusions of his latest findings, when their words stabbed through his abdomen. They made him imagine every worst case scenario he could think of, from Eren being emotionally or physically hurt to even being dead... Yeah, he wouldn’t be surprised and it was almost chuckle – worthy, how many times in his life, have he had scares like this one, Eren coming to his place with a blood covered face, drunk or just completely wrecked with depression, not daring to show up at home in front of Mikasa, not wanting to worry her, but also not wanting to be lectured, even though he would’ve completely deserved it. So many years had passed, since the last time such incidents had happened , Armin almost forgot how it felt, and the rude reminder in the form of two pairs of eyes, full of uncomfortable worry, was not a welcome one in the slightest.

He dared to breathe a sigh of relief though, upon being insured that Eren was actually fine, but the panic didn’t even had the time to subside before Erwin carefully relayed the reasons behind their sudden visit, Levi hesitantly stretching out his arm with the folder towards Armin. He clutched it, but he wished he didn’t. They wanted him to read it first... They wanted him to make the final decision, about whether to show it to Eren or not, and he felt it was incredibly unfair, as he had no say in whether this kind of documents should’ve be sought out in the first place. More than at Erwin or Levi, he was angry at Eren...

 

******

 

“Right on time golden locks, I was just about to order take out... “ A somewhat tired voice, still glazed with enough fondness to be welcoming, called from the living room. “Let me guess, chicken tenders wi...Oh...Hi...” The voice trailed off into confusion, as Eren caught the sight of three very well-known figures walking in, instead of just one. “I didn’t know you were coming over... “ His face studied theirs, as if he was trying to figure out an explanation to the current situation. He gasped.“You... You’ve got the... “ It didn’t take long for the realization to dawn on Eren, as even though none of them said a single word since they entered the room, their distressed expressions spoke clear enough for Eren to know what this was about. It was always there, in the back of his mind, he expected it, fearing it and looking forward to it at the same time, and the way his eyes contorted with a heavy sigh, perfectly reflected that emotion. He stood in silence not knowing how to react.

“Why... “ A quiet but noticeably pained voice inquired, “Why didn’t you tell me Eren? “

Frozen green eyes met with watering blue, and Eren gulped, a frantic scrambling starting inside of his crowded mind, trying to fish out anything that would serve as a viable explanation, something that would maybe soften the hurt in the glare of his friend. There were a lot of reasons, too many to be said in a simple answer, and he opened his mouth only to say... disappointingly nothing.

“How did you imagine hiding this from me? “ Armin found himself speaking louder than he would’ve wanted to. “I would’ve figured it out, the second you found out... I’m.. “ He sighed, struggling to calm down his wounded demeanor, _I’m supposed to be your best friend,_ he thought and the sentence brought a bitter taste to his mouth. He felt let down, and he felt like he himself let someone down. The latter thought stuck to his heart more than anything else, and a clear picture about what needed to be done was quickly forming in his mind. He needed to put aside whatever turmoil _he_ was feeling right now...It didn't matter... He...He needed to concentrate on getting his best friend alive out of this mess...

 

“T-there’s someth-thing to be found out then...R-right?” Eren stuttered, angrily closing his eyes, as he stood for a mere second, trying to school the shake of his voice, “Is that what you’re saying? “ He continued more firmly, voice sliding into a clear demand.

 

“Sit down brat. “ Levi spoke, and even though the words were meant to counter Eren's consistently thoughtless ways of dealing with things, they ended up sounding apologetic, as he made his way towards the brunet, and sat down beside him on the sofa, leaning his elbows on the top of his knees, clutching the folder with both hands. He had promised he would take the responsibility for this, and that’s what he was about to do.

“I will give you these documents now, ” Silver eyes opened wide, trying to absorb the entirety of Eren’s attention. “You will read them, then take a deep breath... And not do anything stupid after. We clear? “

 

Eren looked at him for a while, before nodding, his head shifting to the left, as his weight got redistributed on the sofa, by someone sitting right beside him. 

 

“Not that we would let you anyway, “ He met with Erwin’s tender smile, a hand gracefully caressing over his cheek, as it moved his brown locks away from his eyes.

 

Eren could only offer a confused stare, before he looked back and grabbed the folder from Levi, holding it out in the air in front of himself, feeling two hands palming at his own, seconds after, only to find that Armin moved closer, to the opposite side of the coffee table, and was clutching at him reassuringly, all trace of previous offense gone from his now soft gaze. Both of their hands moved together as they opened the black casing.

 

_Report of responding officer Annie Leonhardt_

 

_I was called to a scene of a traffic accident at Marley River 6 km from Sina, on August 1st at approx. 7:40 p.m. The call came through from an eyewitness at the scene, Dina Fritz (D. O. B. July 26th, 1977) who claimed a car containing two people crashed into the river. A patrol car, as well as an ambulance had immediately been dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, I approached D. Fritz for further information, while officer Freudenberg examined the scene of the accident. Fritz proved to be a fellow officer with the agency. She was visibly shaken and in distress and upon questioning her about her relations to the participants of the accident she said she had none. She claimed she saw a couple, man and woman, fight in their car, as she drove behind them, when the vehicle steered right from the road and flew full speed over the river bank._

_The inspection of the area, revealed two bodies, pronounced dead at impact by the medical staff. They were confirmed as Grisha Jaeger (D. O. B. January 26th 1979) and Carla Jaeger (D. O. B. January 29th 1980), husband and wife. Both victims and the car were found on shore. The road had two clear tire tracks that seem to confirm eyewitness accounts. The weather conditions didn’t indicate any possible cause for the accident, but a sign for a rock slide, as well as medium to big sized stone debris, was present on the asphalt. Dina Fritz willingly came along to the station for further questioning, and was released after finding no evidence indicating involvement._

 

Eren shook his head, “What the fuck is this? “ Anger, rooted in disbelief seemed to reflect in every movement of his body, as he threw the folder onto the table. “None of this makes sense!” He stared at Armin with pleading eyes, his breath hitching as he found no support for his refusal to accept what he just read, as the truth.

_But... This couldn’t be right.._

What were his parents doing in Sina? Why were they fighting in a car? How did Dina recognize him if...

“You... Have to read further... “ Armin hesitated in a whispering voice. He really wished Eren would not read anything more, but this was now a point of no return. He sighed at his friends tensing glare.

 

Eren took the folder again, keeping his eyes on Armin, like he was expecting a confirmation for his actions. He heard the flutter of the sheets, before he noticed his own hands were shaking.

 

The next few pieces of paper, went into an in-depth analysis of his family’s silver Sedan, noting down the extent of the damage, in details so excruciating, that it made green eyes drown in tears to the brim, before Eren had to blink and let them roll down warmly over his cheeks, with barely held back sniffles. He continued reading, with the watery waves obscuring his view, as he was presented with a list of things found in the car, many of which belonged to him and Mikasa, and it made his eyelids fall heavily down, not being able to muffle the loud hitch that escaped his lips, before he truthfully started to cry. _You wanted to know, so here you go now..._ He scoffed at himself, squeezing his knuckles around the thin white paper. Their fingertips were all over the car, inside and out... His, Mikasa’s, their mom and dad’s and even Armin’s. It brought back memories that transformed into ugly sobs in the present. It faded in pictures, of the many times he had his face and palms  plastered against the car window, looking out to the world, he so desperately wanted to explore; the many times he got yelled at for it, leaving dusty smudges on the glass. There was not a single trace of that hopefulness left inside the Eren of today. The damage he sustained far more unfixable, than what the car had suffered. 

He cried inconsolably, and they let him, nobody uttering a word, as they conveyed their support with just being close, and making the fact that they were here, a certain one...Just a stretch of an arm away.

Eren seemed to suddenly gather up his strength again, his glare burning with fiery resolve, as he flipped the pages once more. Armin noticed the way Levi and Erwin were following through his every movement, their eyes moving like they were his shadow, and Armin was glad they were here. He understood now, that the truth needed to come out,sooner or later, with Eren's insistent mindset, it was inevitable and it was better that it happened with the two of them in his life.

The last few files were excerpts from the Human Resource department of the FBI. Levi found himself staring just as much as Eren, scrunching his eyes, even though he had already seen and had his fare share of disbelieving gazing, over everything the folder had contained. His eyeballs skimmed through the rows of information, which described the profile of agent Dina Fritz, and the details of the mission she was being dispatched too. 

_Kirschtein and Bodt made a good call with digging up stuff on Dina too_ , Levi thought, staring practically through the paper... _They’re smart_... He huffed silently, _Too smart for their own good_... His look narrowed even further as he thought about, just how big of a jail sentence were his informants in for, if they were to ever be discovered in, digging their expert fingers into the FBI’s digital archives. They were definitely even now...Hell, Levi was probably the one _in their_ debt.... A shake of a body next to him, snapped him quickly from his absent minded muttering. 

 

_... Undercover mission to infiltrate a faction of SERUM (Society of Environmental Recovery – a Unified Movement)...._

 

_...Certain members radicalized... associated with eco-terrorism..._

 

_... List of known members..._

 

Eren’s body trembled uncontrollably, upon reading his father’s and mother’s name on the list. 

 

Levi glanced up to him, before meeting his worried stare with Erwin’s, blue eyes reflecting with swirls off muddy  brown, the concern making them glass-like, as the filled with the image of the man he have grown to care for so much, in the last couple of weeks. They both shifted their looks to Eren. 

 

The last page was an early retirement decision, requested by Dina herself and approved by the agency. It contained only a few lines of text, listing her explanation for leaving under “personal circumstances”. 

 

“Is this... Are you sure this is all true? “ Eren asked sternly, directing the question to the dark-haired man next to him, without actually looking at his direction. His gaze was softly zoned out on the paper sheet he swayed lightly in his hand. 

 

“Yes. “ The raven confirmed concisely. He didn’t see any point in sugar-coating things, the harsher the punch you would get from life, the more valuable would be the lesson. You’d swim or you’d drown, and whatever Eren was about to choose, at least he had them to keep his head afloat. Eren wasn’t alone... _Not like I was..._

 

They observed him, as he bent over to place his face onto his open palms, still holding the documents, his head and arms resting on his knees. He was silent for a few moments, before a laugh bubbled up and through his fingers. 

 

“Eren? “ The short blond opposite him looked at him horrified. 

 

Eren just laughed louder. 

 

Erwin and Levi just stared back and forth, from among themselves to the brunet, expressions serious and full of dark cloudiness. 

 

“I was right” The laugh subsided, as Eren whispered. “We were... “ He buried his unreadable facial features into his palms again. 

 

“About what? “ Erwin dared to ask, mimicking the quiet notes of the boy’s voice. 

 

Silence. 

 

Levi smoothed a hand over soft brown hairs. “You’ve completely lost it kid. “ He murmured, with a tinge of fondness. 

 

A few more voiceless moments passed, before Eren raised his head and stood up, stepping over Levi’s knees and moving to stand in the center of the room, behind Armin. 

 

“No... No I have not. “ He stared down with tired determination, at the three pairs of expectant eyes, “And this is proof of that! “ He threw the paper stack onto the table, and it flew apart before it could hit the wooden surface, a rain of truth suddenly falling down on all of them. 

It took mere moments for the paper storm to settle down, all three man following it’s journey through the air, Armin flailing his arms high, trying to catch them before they  would decide to slip somewhere hardly revocable, like behind the sofa or through the window. 

When they looked up, Eren was gone. 

 

 


	20. Policy of truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Depeche Mode - Policy Of Truth (Capitol Mix)](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/173350914208/depeche-mode-policy-of-truth-capitol-mix)

A full-scale philharmonic orchestra, each member pressing firmly down onto their instruments to produce a rapid crescendo, as it reached the peak point of the musical piece it was playing, was seated entirely in Eren’s head, as he stormed down the street leading away from his apartment. The intensity of the performance, comprised of his wildly running thoughts, didn’t seem like it had planned to lessen any time soon, and the brunet let these feelings guide him, all the way to the main road and into a cab. He mumbled an address, as his bottom hit the back seat, a tad too angrily, earning himself a side glance from the driver, who regarded him for a second before nodding and steering the wheel out of the parking lot.

Eren heard the nod being followed by some words, but the noise in his head was too loud, too overwhelming, for him to distinguish anything intelligible.

_This wasn’t right... His mom... She couldn’t..._

He laughed to himself again, it was completely ridiculous... The woman who raised him and Mikasa... She...She spent her days in their home, often times being both their mom and dad, and always being their friend and their teacher. She had soft creases around her mouth when she smiled and hands roughened with hard work that had the gentlest touch, even when she was scolding them over scattered firewood, or the bruises Eren would so often come home wearing- sometimes defending himself or Armin from bullies, sometimes from his own sister. Even when he decided to take the risk and pursue his education and career in art, even when he screamed at her, for her well-meaning advice, even.. Even then... Eren tightened his jaw, as his knuckles supported the rigidness... _Whatever that paper claimed about her, it was surely wrong._

On the other side... Grisha... _His dad..._

He realized how knowing the facts that he just learned, had only managed to raise more questions that what they answered, and Eren felt like on the end of his wits... It was going to be concluded today.

The car came to a stop in a part of a town that looked like it was forgotten by any sort of modernistic revolution of the 21st century, both in terms of technology and aesthetics. Dirty, dull, gray buildings, that looked like they were covered in damp mold, towered over equally ugly, trash littered, narrow roads, tired people roaming through this labyrinth mostly on foot. It ticked of every ghetto cliché, Eren ever read about in books or saw in movies, and he couldn't help the irrational apprehension creeping over his vertebras one by one.  He was aware the fear was based entirely on fiction, but at least it served as a grounding event, making him partake in measured movements, instead of his previous haphazard, thoughtless rampaging.

He paid the cab driver, and stepped out of the vehicle, noting the building number he was looking for was a only few steps ahead of him. Jumping over a water-filled pothole,  covering almost the entire width of the road, he found himself quickly walking across the sidewalk and bouncing up a small flight of stairs, taking them by two, until he ended up in front of a filthy glass door with a rusted metal frame. He turned to the right and searched for the name and number, finding only the latter next to a blank slate.

Sighing out loudly, he buzzed the button next to it.

Long seconds passed, before he heard the crackle of the machine being answered, static hissing with unintelligible backdrop of apartment noises, but no voice came through the interphone. Eren waited, not sure if the sound of muffled breathing was real, or a part of his imagination, skewed by everything that he happened to go through lately. His patience running short, not that it was ever long to begin with, he cleared his throat to, like he was gathering up determination, and spoke clearly into the microphone, hidden behind the metal bracket listing the residents of the building.

"It's Eren Jaeger."

The immediate clacking sound was followed by a long buzz a moment after, Eren quickly subduing his surprise, as he caught onto the door handle in time, before the ringing noise could stop. He entered the cold interior of the building and started climbing his way up to the 2nd floor, subconsciously trying to make the echo of his feet as minimal as possible. Ghosting his way up, he didn't allow himself any time to hesitate before he connected the knuckle of his index finger with a wooden surface, of a no-name door. 

_A metallic beat. A screech of old hinges._

It was all Eren could register, before he felt himself being hauled off of his feet and dragged inside by the lapel of his coat. He managed half-a breath in, as moments after he was slammed onto the inner side of the door, knocking even that small amount of air, out of his lungs.

"How did you find me?" A low volume, but nonetheless displeased voice threatened, more than it questioned, as Eren found one of his arms twisted around his own back, the other nailed to the wooden plate he was leaning on.

"What the fuc..." He was not given a chance to finish the retort, as something in his right shoulder felt like close to being snapped at the joints.

"Why are you here?!" The hushed voice demanded an explanation again.

"I...Jesus...I need to talk to you about my parents...Can you fucking let me...Ahh." He made an attempt to struggle against his captor, and the grip on his arms seemed to loosen to breathable levels after a moment, although he was still securely pinned in place.

"You know... I can only think of a few ways, in which you could obtain my address..." Dina remarked accusingly, "And none of them are legal... What did you do Eren?" She said with her voice staying consistently strained from trying to hold back her volumes, a little above a whisper.

"I..." Eren realized she was completely right. It hit him like a wave to the chest, how  he was once again recklessly following his own instincts around, foolishly disregarding any possible consequences. Dina was a cop, at least that's what it seemed like,  and she could get all of them in so much trouble only if she wanted to, only because he was here, as living proof that they, in fact had gotten themselves in something that was fully illegal. "I..."

The force that plastered him motionless softened away, as Dina let her arms fall down with a sigh. "I should have known...You Jaegers have a fucking penchant for doing things in the hardest possible way."

 _...It's my fault again..._ She thought after the words left her mouth.

She made a few steps back, and Eren watched her with confusion replacing any previous discomfort, as he examined her face that looked nothing less than defeated... _Concerned...Or tired, yeah she looked tired._

"Did Levi do it for you?" She piped up with an ironic smile.

 _Shit._ She sounded like she knew him more than just a fellow frequenter of a fetish club. _I should not say a word._ He pressed his lips firmly together.

Frosted ice-colored eyes looked deeply into his own, and Eren shifted his gaze to the side, realizing a moment after that the gesture possibly revealed a lot more about what he was thinking, than any words would. "Y-you know him?" He tried to play it off.

She snorted sarcastically before answering, "Oh, I know him. Everyone in my profession knows him." Her eyes hooded for a moment, "My...Past profession...." A  smudge of sad undertones peeked through her voice, quickly recovering the mocking glare a moment later, "But not from his current   _charitable_ lifestyle...Although it seems like he didn't change his ways much..."

Scoffing to herself she turned around, and landed herself on an old worn out sofa, that could only be described as colorless. In a few quick movements her lips connected to a cigarette, the small spark of flame being the only vibrant thing in the entire room, before it disappeared and the smoke replaced it, blending in seamlessly with the interior. 

"I can tell you plenty stories about him if you want..." She moved her eyes back onto Eren, inspecting his expression.

All she was met with was kindling fury, as Eren moved to drag a chair that was on his left, pulling it near the woman and slowly sitting down, "That's not why I'm here." The brunet said with calm determination.

She gasped, losing all remnants of humor from the creases of her face. "I figured."

Silence gradually filled the air, and Eren was getting ready to restate his need for an explanation, but his intention was cut short by Dina speaking up again,

"What do you know?"  Her eyes avoided his own, as she held the smoke close to her lips.

Eren took a deep breath in, "A...A lot...But most certainly not all of it..." _...That can't be all of it..._ He tried to keep the anxiety simmering somewhere in the back of his abdomen, not let it boil and overflow, paralyzing his body.  It wasn't easy, as he felt the slight numbness in his fingers. Still, he gathered enough control over his voice, to be able to re-tell the things he read about in the files, not failing to express his disbelief over the many of the facts the papers stated to be true. His stare must've been blatantly portraying his feelings, as Dina cut into his story before he could finish.

"Ok...That's enough." She shook her head, eyes narrowing to let him know she heard more than she probably needed to. "All of that is...true. " Grey eyes locked with green, "Do you understand? If anyone ever asks you, this official report from the FBI is a 100% accurate representation of what had happened."

Eren stayed motionless. He understood what was being imparted on him, and he was clear with the fact that, it's exactly what he would need to do, if he wanted to avoid anyone getting into unfixable trouble with the government. Still, the majority of his attention was spent on anticipating the words that would come next, after the disclaimer, and he leaned in closer, feeling the jitter of his knees as he elbowed onto them.

"In the eyes of the agency Eren, you're parents were terrorists..." A pointed look followed the statement, re-confirming that it's what everyone needed to believe in. "Still..."

The story that followed covered the events happening more than a decade ago, and it was told with as much pained sighs and shivers, as it took for Eren to listen through it.

"I've been assigned to infiltrate an environmental activist group called SERUM," Dina started, looking away again, "The organization concerned itself with mostly peaceful protests, they...They were annoying, but essentially they weren't harming anyone so SERUM was left to operate undisturbed for many years of its existence. I think it's very likely that your mom and dad met at one of the organizations similar events..." She squinted her eyes, as she continued.

“You father... He... It didn’t take him long to see that the pacifist approach had led the organization nowhere. The only thing they ever managed was inciting mockery... You can probably imagine the situation – SERUM, and many others, had fought for things that so little people ever cared about... Hell, even now, I am still unsure if I give a shit or not. “ Dina let out a small sigh, letting the cigarette burn in her fingers as she talked. “But when Grisha talked... You...You cared.” Lips pressed together, she glanced apologetically at the boy. “He talked about you and your sister a lot, you know? “

Eren looked angrily to the side, squeezing his eyes shut.

“...He wanted a better future for you, and he worried that his kids, or his children’s kids will not have a planet to live that future on... When he told me that, the first time, it seemed to me like such an extreme statement to make, but looking at environmental data, I soon realized he was not that crazy at all. “

“A better future for us... “ Eren laughed with a bitter scoff.

Dina breathed out helplessly again. She understood deeply what the boy meant – it seemed like no one that came into the circle of Grisha’s affection, had managed to end up with a happy life. It was almost ironic.

“I want to know how you met him. W-what were you to him, that he would say such things to you?? “ A shaky voice cut through the temporary silence. It continued for a few moments more, as Dina seemed to try to gather her thoughts and muster up the strength to speak.

“A few people shared your fathers opinions – _Radical problems ought to be solved with radical measures_ – they use to say, and a small branch of SERUM cut itself off from the main movement, and started a mission of their own...They...Never hurt anyone on purpose, but they caused a lot of trouble, countless amounts of dollars in material damage, sabotaging production in factories that didn’t comply with environmental regulations...They were sending their message loud and clear, and well, the FBI decided to answer it. Which is where I came in... “

Eren stared in front of himself blankly, “My mom...” he muttered looking up. “What about my mom? “

“She... Never approved of your father’s ways... Nor did the rest of the organization, as they all soon publicly declined involvement with any of the actions taken by the rogue group under their name. It didn’t matter for shit though, everything Grisha and his activist group did, was enough for anyone close to them to be on an FBI watch list...” Dina stood up from the sofa and walked up to the window, drawing the curtain over a late afternoon sun, almost absentmindedly. “I went undercover to bust your dad and his little gang.” She said with a notable dose of sarcasm. “I spent ages trying to get close to him, but these groups they...They decentralized their operations, there were no leaders, no meeting spaces, no public ways of communication, each faction consisted of only two or three people and they all worked independently from each other... Even though it was for the same goal...They, did these kind of things to keep people like me from infiltrating their orders. I was ready to retreat and reconsider my tactics, when... “ She stopped talking to turn around, away from the window staring at the floor.

“When, what?! “ Eren demanded, feeling resentment towards every single word that pooled out of the woman’s mouth, feeling it even stronger for the fact that he had to ask for more.

“When... I saw him at a club I was a member of... “ Dina said carefully picking around her words.

Eren closed his eyes, “W-what, kind o-of a club? “ The tremor of the muscles of his whole body made his words come out weak and terrified. He...He was  terrified.

“A kind that you too, are a member of Eren .” A more determined voice answered sharply, probably finding no solace in the awkwardness of long pauses.

The brunet clenched his fists around the hem of the shirt in his lap, with a painful whine held back between the tightness of his throat. “Continue... “ He managed in a whisper.

“I...saw my chance and I took it. We... uh... I kept telling myself it was strictly businesses at first. Agents they... We sometimes did far worse things to deceive people and gain their trust. It was for the greater goal, but... Your father, he eventually...”

It was the first time Eren saw doubt in the woman’s eyes, as she stumbled over her own words. It was pitiful, but green eyes had no room in them for sympathy, being filled with nothing but anger that was boiling over, drowning any rational thoughts in scorching water.

“That night... “ Dina spoke up, skipping over the emotions, she obviously failed to translate into words. “We were about to follow through with a mission we planned for some time. Cut through the wire fence, mess up the electrical system of a tech factory that was responsible for mountains of electronic waste...Fuck up their production flow, make’em loose precious penny, make’em send their staff home for an overdue day off...It was just a bonus that they treated their local and foreign employees like modern slaves... “ Dina sighed dejectedly. “I realized somewhere along the way I started to care... About that mission and about every other, about the point of view of the group, about all the people affected by humanity’s hunger for profit... About... About Grisha... “ Another sigh followed the hesitant words. “It had to stop.... I gathered enough evidence to put your dad away for a long time, so this mission was to be his last... Our last...He was slicing the metal fence as I arranged for his arrest... I only... If I had known... “

Eren couldn’t discern if he was listening anymore or not. He didn’t want to and he had to stretch his fingers and toes to encourage his blood flow and come back to reality, enough to be able to phantom the words that were being said to him... He had to force himself to look up at Dina, and he saw that she was enveloped in the same absentminded pain, staring through the floor darkly, as the words left her lips one by one.

“Carla... She showed up... In a car, parking just behind us... She must’ve... “ Dina shook her head, squinting her eyes, “She must’ve followed us, she must’ve suspected about... Grisha... And me...She was yelling...A lot, before your father dragged her into the car and stormed away, fearing we had caught the attention of the night guard or the neighboring houses. I followed them in the our car... “

Eren winced at the word _our_. His father... He had two _our cars_...He had two...

“... I... I don’t know what happened, before I saw the car drift and fly over the bank... “

A loud ringing, cut both of them out of their thoughts.

“You’re entourage is here. “ Dina remarked with a sarcastic attempt. She walked over to the door, feeling the loud banging, just as she touched the door handle.

A man with a kniflike death glare, pushed Dina aside as he marched towards the boy sitting frozen on the chair, green eyes beaming in the midst of the ugly, gray room. He pulled him up by the collar of his jacket, “You are a dead man Jaeger. “ A voice cold like ice, spoke an inch away from Eren’s mouth.

“Levi... “ A tall, golden-haired man warned from behind, a smaller blue-eyed figure shyly following after him.

“No! “ Levi retorted not taking his eyes off of confused green ones. “I am not going to be gentle or diplomatic or moderate. “ He started pulling Eren towards the door, but the brunet pulled back, breaking himself free from the death grip.

“I am not done here yet.” Eren said coldly.

Levi looked at him for a moment, before starting to move forward to grab him again, but instead he felt an arm rest firmly on his shoulder. “We came as support remember? “ Erwin reminded the second most hot-headed person in the room. “Right, Levi? “

“Tch. “ The raven’s body tensed, completely contradicting the words that left his mouth. “Right. “ He uttered.

Eren looked at all three of them for a moment, turning away towards Dina a second later, “Why? “ He asked not bothering to sit down again. “Was it worth it!? “ He cried out, as the tears finally showed up again. "F-for the FBI?!"

The whole apartment fell into a long silence, before Eren pained voice filled it up again. "Did you all get shiny plaques, or nice office chairs for fucking over so many people? Did people applaud you for a j-job well done?"

Dian turned away angrily, "You probably know damn well that's not how things went for me..." She spoke with a weight of sadness lowering her voice, as she ran her fingers over her own knuckles," The agency mission was a complete failure...Everything was swept under a thick rug of false reports and made up press conferences. But it was never about that in the first place... About public acknowledgement...Grisha was too small of a fish to ever consider him as something the FBI would boast about. It was about...We successfully sent a message back you know? It reverberated through every existing and future activist group as a warning...It still does."

Eren paced around the apartment not even attempting to calm his nerves down, as the salt seeping from his eyes rubbed all over his old wounds. “You _all_ did things for a better future right? For MY future..." He took a step towards Dina, "Not even considering what we would’ve wanted! A dad to have a god damn dinner with after school... A... A... “ Eren sobbed through his words. “A family to come home too. “

He took another step, feeling the shake of his weak footing, before everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...This is my attempt and writing a morally grey storyline. I hope it wasn't to heavy or complicated to read.  
> On a side note, my search history is ruined after this... If I don't show up next Friday with a new chapter it's because the FBI got me :D
> 
> I would really appreciate if you told me what you thought about the plot, thank you (◠‿◠✿)


	21. Family Picture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Jinho Kim (SG Wannabe) - Family Picture](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/173797037563/jinho-kim-sg-wannabe-family-picture)
> 
> English translation of [lyrics](https://dmnqlimes.wordpress.com/2014/10/25/%EA%B9%80%EC%A7%84%ED%98%B8-%EA%B0%80%EC%A1%B1%EC%82%AC%EC%A7%84-%EA%B0%80%EC%82%AC/)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay *throws double chapter at you*

A white-painted, featureless door flew open, rotating on it’s hinges with dizzying intensity, only for it to stop when it slammed it’s full mass into the wall that was holding it, sending tiny beige splinters all over the floor.

“Mikasa, for heavens sa... “ A small, blonde grasped at his chest, voicing out what everyone was thinking, as a figure stormed through the hospital room, crashing into the arms of her brother, tired greens, not even managing to react properly, before Eren was tightly secured into a hug, a quite sob escaping Mikasa’s lips, as she took in the image of him in the hospital bed.

“Everybody out.. “ She ordered in a coldly quiet tone, not bothering to turn around, too busy examining Eren with her eyes and hands, needing to check for herself, if he was really okay, no matter how many times had Armin ensured her, over the phone, that there was no reason to panic. Four people stood around the same bed looking at them. Nobody moved a muscle.

“I said OUT! “ She yelled this time, dark hairs swaying as she flipped her head to the side.

“C-come on guys... “ Armin tentatively prompted everyone out the door, not wanting to be in a position to find out if Mikasa’s next warning would be accompanied with her, physically removing all of them from the hospital room. The door shut with a bit of a struggle, but after it was securely closed and the two siblings sat staring at each other in teary silence for a few moments, it was Eren who dug his fingers into his sister’s shirt this time, dragging her close and letting his forehead drop on her soft coat clad shoulders, as he cried, sniffling louder and more broken after each moment, while Mikasa held him equally tight, her own tears sliding involuntarily across her cheeks.

“You selfish, stubborn idiot... “ She whispered with her voice cracking, “You... “ Her palm slid up to Eren’s chest to separate them, before she moved it up to cup her brother’s face. “The deal was, you would tell me when you found something, Eren... Why... Why do you always... “

“I’m sorry,” The brunet cut her off. “I thought... I wasn’t really thinking... I... just wanted to... “ He stammered, trying to find any acceptable words that would sufficiently explain why he did what he did, in such a way. “I’m sorry... “ Was the only thing that kept rolling of his tongue.

“It’s okay... You’re okay... That’s all that matters for now. “ Mikasa smoothed the unruly strands on top of her brother’s hair, forcing a faint smile that served to calm Eren’s breathing down a bit. “How bad was it? “ She asked, bringing up their happily forgotten tradition of rating Eren’s episodes of panic.

“Pretty sure it was an 11 out of 10.” Eren looked down, huffing out air which was supposed to be an attempt on a sarcastic smile.

Sunken, charcoal-black, eyes, darkened even more at the words, but quickly schooled themselves into a brighter expression, not wanting to reveal just how much pain they were in. “You know what that means...” She exclaimed rather than asked, letting her face contort into a tired but genuine grin.

Reddened greens widened, first with confusion and then realization, as the boy swung around to grab a pillow, hugging it as a shield, knowing very well what was about to come.

“That’s a five minute tickle attack! “ Mikasa chided, her fingers already poking at Eren’s sides, and under-jaw, making his body retort to snake like wiggles, in an effort to evade the onslaught.

“S-stop...We-we’re not twelve anymore... Ah! “ Eren spoke through the uncontrollable giggles.

“Sorry, those are the rules! “ She poked him a few more times, reveling in the squeaky cackling that filled the room, before she felt merciful enough to stop. The fact that Eren kept the small smile on his face a while longer, as he looked at her, was all the proof she needed, to know that her brother was really okay.

“The people outside must think I have finally lost it “ Eren remarked.

“Screw them!” Mikasa answered quickly, flailing her arm once in the air, like she was squatting away an annoying fly.

Eren pressed his lips together, making an effort to suppress a smile, _Yep... That’s exactly what I have been doing for the past few months. .._ He thought, mind wondering away to Levi and Erwin, _Were still seated outside with Armin and Hannes?_   Or was all this mess just to much for them and they went home? He certainly wouldn’t blame them... Nothing but trouble awaited people in his vicinity. The words stung, as they formed in his mind and the pain sent tightening acidity to his abdomen. This was just one of the many things he discovered he had in common with his father, in the past two days, the one track mindset, the recklessness, the attempts to help but completely fuck up everything instead. There was also other things too... _No!_ Eren shook his head, he was physically unable to think about that right now.

“You can start whenever you feel like it, “ His sister’s words shifted his focus away, realizing he indeed needed to tell Mikasa everything he learned about their parents from his and Levi’s little mission. He felt his stomach rise, filling up with air slowly, before he tried to puff a bit of the tension away, sighing it out with an audible breathe. The words started sneaking out, unsurely, seeing that after every other he managed to speak out, Mikasa’s eyes would glass up with the hidden pain. He wished he could tell her a different story, one where their parents lived and died peacefully, one where her brother was more aware of the continuous hurt he was causing to his sister, one where she didn’t need to sit beside his hospital bed, and offer comfort for something that was just as equally affecting her, as it was affecting him. He could have done better... He should have. Everyone, including her, had offered Eren their help, their shoulders to lean on while they worked the mess in his life out together, but he just stomped over everyone, because that’s how this brain of his had always worked. _Maybe it would be better for all if I wasn’t around..._

A soft sensation warmed his right cheek, making him realize he had stopped speaking, and was just staring into his sister’s worried eyes. “You look so tired, “ she smiled sadly, caressing the pale skin on her brothers face. “You should rest a bit before the doctor gets back with the papers, to let you go home. You’ll tell me the rest when we get there. “

Eren nodded, hugging the pillow between his arms for a few more seconds, before moving it to where it should be, on the top of the bed. He lay down, and his still damp eyelashes followed, heavily closing over his eyes. He let himself disconnect from reality, feeling the comfort of his sister’s palm on his back.

**********

Erwin looked at the bland door in front of him. It seemed a bit askew, probably from the violent entrance of Eren’s sister a while ago. He shifted his gaze to the small man next to him then, seeing his face was still buried in his palms, elbows on knees, as he sat like that for the last hour, dark strands of hair dangling over his hands. Sighing, Erwin glanced at the door once more, as if expecting it to open at any moment, as if missing the first movements of the door handle, would not leave him enough time to prepare for... For... He wasn’t even sure what to expect from Eren’s family. Would they even want to hear him or Levi out? Knowing what he knew about Mikasa, she probably won’t. He sighed again... If they were ever meant to meet Eren’s sister and step-father, this was unarguably the worst possible way. He moved his hand to run an open palm over soft black tresses on his right.

“Come on Levi, this... It’s not...It’s everybodies fault. “ Erwin tried to reassure, feeling unnerved by the fact that his own words came out so hesitant and ragged. Usually he knew what needed to be done, and what needed to be said to fix any type of mess or to win any type of argument. Words were things that arranged perfectly inside of Erwin’s head and they would leave his lips in an equally polished manner, carefully chosen to hit the target, while slicing smoothly through the center of the apple. Only this time, someone got hurt, even though the goal was accomplished. It was unwise of him to think, he could control the leash on two wild-lings that were Eren and Levi. Sometimes the best way to learn was to make a mistake first. Still, at this moment, he felt like he could do better for his boyfriend, than a few stammering words of consolation...He cleared his throat to try again.

“You both made a choice and the deed is done now. That’s how things work remember? You thought me that... “ Erwin leaned down, to look sideways at the sullen face that had now peaked through the fingers. Armin and Hannes had gone to grab some lunch, the small blond thankfully being insightful enough to realize that all of them sitting together on a bench in a narrow hallway, was beyond awkward considering the circumstances. Erwin needed to use this time to try and ease a bit of Levi’s hours long, self-blaming sulk. “None of us could have predicted any of this. “ Erwin pressed his lips together, before quickly opting to press them over Levi’s fingers instead, managing to graze the tip of his nose underneath.

The raven just closed up his fingers again, and buried his face completely in his knees. “I’ll hug him first...." Levi murmured into his legs", and after that, when he relaxes, I’ll kill him “ , he added making the tall man next to him snort silently.

The door opened with a loud shriek, robbing at the two men’s attention immediately. A tall, beautiful dark-haired woman stepped out, dressed in a loose white, collared shirt, and waist-height, black, dress pants, her coat hooked comfortably on both shoulders. Erwin stared up at her, eyeing the scowl that could give Levi a run for his money. He couldn’t help but feel like Levi and he were two kids in front of a principals office, just being caught smoking under the bleachers, and he wanted to smile and the thought, hadn’t it been completely in appropriate. Dealing with the worst of Levi hadn’t ever felt as challenging, as it was finding the right words to say to Eren’s sister right now. She looked nothing short of murderous. Erwin opened his mouth to speak.

“We’re... “

“Sorry? “ He was cut off immediately, even though the word that came out, was not as harsh as he expected it to be. It sounded more... Disappointed. The woman huffed lightly, before silently walking away, the clap of her heels against the hospital floor being the only sound for a while, until that disappeared too, fainting into the distance.

The two men looked briefly at each other, Levi crossing his fingers on the back of his neck, cupping his head as he stood up to walk a few steps back and forth in front of Erwin, before letting go and quietly reaching for the door. The silence was short lived as the door creaked angrily, and Levi froze in place, making the wooden thing still, before he poked his head into the room, enough to see Eren’s broken-down, worn out expression, deeply sighing in and out with unsettled sleep.

“Levi? “ He was startled by his boyfriends voice coming from behind, the door letting out a small squeak instead of the man. He looked back to see, that Mikasa had returned, with Armin and Hannes dragging slowly behind her. Everyone’s expression was as rain-soaked as his, and he huffed softly before returning to sit beside Erwin.

Mikasa followed his path with a stare, shifting it to the other two more familial men a moment after, silently prompting them to sit down too. After they were all neatly stacked on the bench, she took a second to scan their faces, noting everything from confusion, discomfort to silent anger, before deciding to speak up.

“You all screwed this up big time. “ She said raising her eyebrows as she crossed her arms. The sigh that followed, let her expression soften a little, “But I think you already know that. “ Dark eyes gestured to the hospital room behind them. “So... What I want to say instead is... Thank you. “

All four pairs of eyes shot up to her words.

She puffed out a small laugh, “Look, I had dealt with Eren my entire life...Although you all definitely contributed, he did this to himself. This, and many other stupid things, that I can’t even count out. “ Black eyes met with the ones of her step-father, “I know why you kept this whole thing a secret from us... I wish you didn’t, but still, I understand. “ Mikasa moved a step to the left, standing now in front of Armin, “I’m sorry that you always have to balance your friendship between the two of us, we... Certainly don’t make it easy. “

Armin looked down, with tear-filled eyes. He should’ve told Mikasa about all of this immediately, even before telling Eren. But... She was right, trying to be on the good side of both, sometimes seemed like an impossible task.

“And you two... “ Mikasa shifted her gaze towards the end of the bench. “I don’t know what made you think you’ve had the right to intrude on something that is such a personal matter to us. I... It was not your place... “ She narrowed her eyes at the two men, before looking away “Still... I am glad you did.” The words came out almost as a whisper. “Even though I dislike it, it seems that you really care for him, even... After everything. “ Mikasa lifted her gaze back to look at them. “And he seems to care about you a lot too. So I only ask of you to keep him safe from now on...He’s... Reckless, and he will go head first through a wall and... “

“We know... “ Erwin intercepted. “We... Should have known better. “

The three looked at each other for a few seconds before Mikasa nodded a thank you, and changed her expression back into the one that made Erwin feel like, he should be worried about the safety of everyone in this hall.

“Now if anyone has any more secrets that concerns my brother and I, you better tell me everything right now. “ She paced slowly in front of the bench.

_Silence._

“Good. If anyone ever does anything without my knowledge, that has a potential to land Eren in a hospital again, I will personally come after them to rip their limbs out. Is that clear? “

 _Noted,_ Erwin pressed his lips together, throwing a secret glance at Levi.

******

An hour and a half later, Eren was laying down comfortably, blanketed on the sofa in his own apartment. Mikasa was sitting by his legs, resting her hand over them, while Hannes took the chair closer to Eren’s head, the clank of porcelain on wood coming from the left, indicated Armin was brewing coffee in the kitchen.

After the sudden trip Mikasa and Hannes had to make, and after the two days Eren and Armin had survived through, they all needed it very much. There was still things they needed talk about.

Armin brought over the coffee mugs two by two, the smell of the warm liquid overtaking the air between them, as he placed the drinks on the small table. It gave way to a somewhat more of a familial feeling, rather than one of tension, the tiredness each of them felt in their bones, probably contributing to the lack of strong emotions. Still the unanswered questions lingered in the air, intertwining with the coffee steam, and Eren was the first to cut through it. Instead of words he just looked towards Hannes, and the man sighed before answering the un-uttered question.

“This... Is why I haven’t told you. “ Wrinkled eyes scanned Eren’s burrito form, with a sour smile, before bowing his head down. “I’m sorry....I tried to keep you from ending up in a hospital again, and yet that is where you ended up nevertheless. I tried to find the right moment... I... “ _How does one even convey such information to another human, let alone an overtly emotional child?_ Hannes looked up, seeking understanding from his step-sons eyes, but they just remained cold, blankly staring in front of themselves.

A few wordless moments followed, Hannes waiting for anyone to say something, before Mikasa finally broke through the discomfort. “Tell him what you told me, on the way here. “ She prompted with a slightly wavering voice.

“Right... “ Hannes cleared his throat, and leaned forward onto his knees. “Carla... _Your mom_ , she... She suspected Grisha was cheating on her for quite a while. But not only that... She knew your dad was stepping away from the group to pursue his own radical ideas, and she worried he will get himself, or even his family into trouble. That night...She followed your dad and that woman all the way out to the industry zone it seems. She told me she wanted to confront them, and I assume that when she saw them attempting to break into the factory, she decided to persuade them against it. “ Hannes stopped to take in a deep breath. “I wish... I wish I didn’t let her go... Or at least not let her take it on alone... Maybe... Maybe then.. “

A soft palm landing on his hand, shifted his gaze back up, to meet with the sadness in green ones.

It didn’t matter if he forgave everyone or not, Eren realized, there were so many things that could’ve and should’ve been done or said, so many to even decide who he should be mad at the most, in the first place. And where would that anger even end? With Hannes, Dina, his mom or dad, the FBI, the entire crime prevention philosophy of the government or the state of the world in general? The world that made his parents into activists, his dad into a terrorist, the people he considered his second family into liars... The truth was that, even if he held onto his grudge against everyone and all, it wouldn’t bring his parents back... It... It wouldn’t fix any damage made to his sanity. He squeezed his fingers over his step-dads palm. “It’s okay... I’ll... Be okay. “

******

“Maybe it’s not the best way to phrase this but... Considering how things started to unravel, this didn’t go as bad as I feared it would. “ Erwin commented hesitantly, taking the coat from his boyfriends shoulders.

“Do you think we should’ve insisted to stay with Eren? “ Levi looked back worried, latching onto blue eyes for honesty, which they never failed to deliver before. “We should’ve gone to the apartme...”

A gentle smile stopped him from finishing the sentence. “Stop worrying Levi. Eren is fine, we are fine, his family doesn’t hates us... that much. We... We’ll have our time with him. Right now he needs to clear things up with those closest to him. “

Silver eyes glanced up, as if running the words through a processing mill of his mind. “You’re... Right. His sister had only threatened us once hasn’t she? “ Levi said, raising one eyebrow.

A sweet chuckle followed his remark. “Yes, I count that as a win. “


	22. Mad about you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wholeheartedly recommend listening to this song before reading this chapter  
>  _Give me all your true hate and I'll translate it in our bed, into never seen passion...._
> 
>  
> 
> [Hooverphonic - Mad About You](https://aanerddatabase.tumblr.com/post/173797217348/hooverphonic-mad-about-you-live-at-koningin)

 “Are you still mad at me? “ Wide, twinkling, emerald eyes looked up at Levi, from upside down.

 The raven, perched on a pillow leaning on the headboard of the bed, raised an eyebrow at the almost naked brat, who was lying on his back in front of him. His attentive eyes caught onto Eren’s fingers, seemingly absentmindedly running over tan abs, occasionally touching upon the hem of black and white boxer briefs, the words Star Wars discreetly etched over in faint white color, under the band, the thing being the only piece of clothing Eren had currently on.

 Levi huffed, both at the sight and at the question, _Mad at you... About you... Is there a difference honestly?_ Levi thought, closely following as a single one of the brunet’s fingers slid under the hem, just for a moment, before continuing his journey back up again.

 A whole week passed before Eren felt good enough to come over, that was according to Mikasa at least, who finally decided to leave only when she absolutely couldn’t convince Eren to stay in bed anymore. After seeing his family out, a somewhat shy text message shone up with a white halogen light on Levi’s phone, and upon reading it, both Erwin and he were more than happy to let Eren come over and stay for the weekend.

“What makes you think that? “ Levi asked, a bit more the seductive flair escaping his tone of voice, than he intended too reveal. He watched as Eren tilted his head up, to look at him again, the action causing the boy’s hips to lift a bit, effectively making Levi hum, as quietly as he was able to.

 “I just thought... Since you hadn’t even touched me once... Since... Since I came here...That, that's why... “ Eren uttered, the murky lightning of the setting sun, doing nothing to hide his blush.

Levi noticed with the corner of his eyes, that Erwin, who was laying beside them on the same bed, had put his book down, and was now paying attention to their seemingly innocent, quickly turned-interesting conversation with a half smile. But Eren had noticed that correctly, the two of them never approached the subject of neither sex, nor what happened last week. They waited patiently for Eren to initiate any of the two, not wanting to put him in a situation he might’ve not been ready for. They spent the whole of yesterday and today being lazy around the house, cooking and playing video games, napping more than they were awake. Apparently, after their most recent nap, Eren seemed to have just about enough of it.

 “You want to be touched Eren? “ A low voice sounded from Levi’s left. “Show us _how_ exactly. “

 Eren shifted his head to the side a bit, craning his neck to look at Erwin, “L-like this... “ His hand slipped under his boxers without much hesitation, fingers closing around his half hard arousal. Levi could make out the goosebumps on the boy’s skin.

 Both men watched as Eren’s body kept shifting lightly over the sheets, clearly enjoying the increasing pleasure, and their subdued breaths grew more pronounced, together with the tent in Eren’s underwear.

 “Where else? “ Levi prompted. “Also, take that off. “ He stretched his left leg to hook a big toe in the waistband of Eren’s briefs, pushing them slightly down and away, before retracting, making the elastic snap onto the brunet’s soft skin.

 “Mhm... “ 

 A murmur of protest or enjoyment, Levi wasn’t sure, rolled off of Eren’s lips. The underwear got hastily pushed down a moment later, all three oft their breathes hitching just barely noticeably, as Eren continued to enjoy himself, eyes tightly closed, as his back kept arching up from the bed. The fingers of his other hand traced the line of his stomach, before ending up lightly twisting a pink nipple. A small hiss, preceded his words. “Ahh... H-here too. “

 Levi shot a glance towards Erwin, taking in a deep gulp of air through his nose, lips pressed together, indicating he was about to jump out of his skin and preferably land on Eren, but the blond man gestured for him to wait a little more.

“Is that all? “ He asked Eren in a serious tone.

There were a few seconds of soft murmurs and bitten back moans, before Eren answered. “N-no. “ He let his hand lower down, passing by the other hand, that was still slowly stroking at his cock, as he spread his legs, too bashfully for someone who was lying completely naked on the bed, pleasuring himself while two other man watched. Erwin smiled at that, reaching for the drawer, just as Eren spoke up again.

 “But... Uh... I need...”

 “Here,” The tall man carefully passed the bottle of lube, making it land next to the pretty brunet.

 Eren muttered something unintelligible, before grabbing the bottle and stopping to open it and pour some onto the fingers of his left hand, smearing the cold substance across both. His right arm quickly moved back to stroking himself, the added slip making the sensation almost too pleasurable, as he smoothed the clear liquid over the tip of his cock, mixing it with the precum that dripped down the sides of his length. The other hand reached between his legs, careful fingers circling the sensitive skin there, making him breathe in sharply with the first contact.

 “There too? “ Levi asked, voice reduced to a whisper.

 “Yes... Please. “ Eren whined, opening his eyes to twist back and look at Levi pleadingly.

  _Fucking hell._ "Only....Because you asked so nicely. “ The raven answered barely controlling his botheredness.

Levi climbed down next to Eren, and then off the bed, bringing the lilac bottle of lube with him. “Raspberry huh? “ He smiled popping the cap off with a single thumb. The plastic clanked away on the laminate floor, as Levi looked up at Eren biting his lip, and he moved quickly over his body to grab him by the hair and kiss him, as he slowly pushed one lube coated fingers inside the man with his other hand. Eren’s moan got sweetly muffled by Levi’s tongue gliding over the inside of his mouth, and he felt Eren’s fingernails digging into his bicep on both sides. He broke the kiss to whisper over reddened lips, “Does _my hand_ feel better brat? “

 “Gaah... Y-yes s-sir... So much be-tter,” the brunet spoke through heavy breaths, as Levi slowly dragged his mouth down, over Eren’s entire body, passing over his cock, that twitched at the attention, moving even further until his breathe was warm over Eren’s hole. 

Green eyes shot up with surprise, only to immediately roll backwards as Levi gave his entrance an experimental lick.

Silver eyes gleamed with satisfaction, “Want me to stop? “ He asked flirtatiously. 

“No! Ah... No sir, p-please don’t stop. “ Eren’s toes curled with the anticipation. 

Levi and Erwin smirked at each other.

“Well, you heard him... “ The blonde one shrugged his eyebrows. “Although it's not really fair for him just to lay around and do nothing, while you use your tongue on him, don’t you think? “ 

Eren stretched his arm out, managing to latch onto Erwin’s forearm, as he pulled at it, nudging the man to come over. 

“My, my... Eager and impatient as always. “ The tall man clicked his tongue, before moving off the bed and walking to stand by the side where Eren layed, giving Levi a warning before he rotated the brunet slightly to the right, pulling him up, so his head was dangling off of the bed just enough so he could tilt it back. “The ideas you give me kid... “ Erwin shook his head fondly, before cupping Eren’s head with one hand, and using his other hand to guide his cock into the boy's upside down mouth. 

Levi watched as Eren’s neck muscles flexed, giving his all to make Erwin feel good even in such a difficult position. He pushed his tongue into Eren a few more times, hearing the desperate squeaks, as his body shook with the pleasure, before Levi pulled away, his own body in an equally great need to get some attention. He grabbed the bottle of raspberry once more, slicking his cock in the slippery substance and positioning himself between twitching thighs, running his nails over them with a deep sigh, before he slowly pushed in, feeling the temperature in his body double. 

 

******

 

“I want to apologize, “ Eren bowed his head, his fingers fiddling with the fabric of the bed covers, under which all three of them were snuggled in, Levi and Erwin on each of his sides. 

“Pretty sure you just did. “ Levi remarked jokingly. 

Two huffs of small laughter followed the words, before Eren spoke seriously again, “I’m really sorry. I promised to not do anything stupid, and yet... “ 

“It’s okay...” Erwin gently cut him off. They didn’t need to hear him apologizing to know that he was feeling bad about being reckless with his own and everyone else's safety.

“We were the ones to encourage you to go after the truth, in the first place. We... We really thought it would be good for you to know. “ Levi added after a few moments. “Is it? “ He asked lifting his head, searching Eren’s expression. 

“I... Think it will be.” The boy admitted, curving his lips into a gentle smile, which faded away as soon as Eren remembered another thought that was pressing onto his lungs, the dull pain never letting him breathe just right. This was something that was not easy to say, but also, something that he could only convey to people such as Erwin and Levi, and he realized he needed to use this fact in order to ease his mind. He retold them everything that Dina had said, before the rest of them arrived to her apartment, how his parents met and what they did, how his father met Dina, and _where_...and _what_ relationship they had. 

“So... My father, he... He was also... “ _Shit._ This was definitely not easy to word out. 

The two men looked at him puzzled, before Erwin’s mind quickly put the scattered pieces together into a recognizable picture. Reading Eren was like reading a book which he read a million times before, the way his eyes moved over their bed, the way his fingers tensed at the thought of something that was clearly very uncomfortable to him, the way his lips quivered from the words wanting to roll of, but hesitating, the way he could see his own reflection in the look that pleaded for Erwin to understand. He did. 

“You are nothing like your father Eren. “ The blonde spoke with reassuring determination. “No matter how many similarities you think you share. That has nothing to do with who you are now and what you like to do, inside or outside of the bedroom. “ 

“You are a shitty, stubborn brat, that I wish to secure tightly onto a leash, for more reasons than one... “ Levi added, catching onto the meaning behind Eren’s distress-filled gaze, “But look at you sitting here, being all regretful... Do you think you learned a lesson from what happened?"

Eren shifted his confused, big eyes towards Levi, “Yes... I absolutely did.. “ He said in a faint voice.

“Well then... You are already a way smarter person than you’re father ever was. “ Levi grabbed onto the boy’s chin and lifted it to stare at him, making sure Eren soaked in the words.

The brunet answered with a single tear dripping down his face, before wiping it away with his naked forearm, and mouthing a shaky “Thank you”, afraid that speaking would cause the rest of the tears to come flooding over Levi’s hand on his face. He pulled away to lean his head on Erwin’s shoulder, squeezing the strong bicep with his fingers for comfort, as he soon felt a palm running over his hair, before a head leaned over his own. “It will get better. “ Erwin’s voice soothed from above.

Another, darker head landed in his lap, and Eren’s rainy mood was cut through by the silvery eyes looking up at him.

“Can I ask you something? “ Levi dared carefully, examining Eren’s expression. “What were you so obnoxiously laughing anout, when you talked to Mikasa at the hospital? “ He remembered how Erwin and he looked at each other, upon hearing Eren’s giggles from the other side of the room.

Eren squinted his eyes, narrowing his eyebrows, before bursting into laughter a second later. He explained the circumstances of one of Mikasa’s and his many childhood traditions.

“So yeah, I swear I’m not completely crazy it was just Mikasa attacking me... “ Eren explained with a grin.

Levi stared at him for a moment, the brunet seeing the cogs moving through his gaze.

“So... What you’re telling me is, that your ticklish? “ He finally spoke, looking more up at Erwin, with a smile that promised nothing less than the plotting of a wicked plan.

“Interesting. “

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish the could work thing out this way, in the manga too....  
> I have one more thing which I want to include in this fic, which will take another 3,4,5 chapter I guess? Before bringing this fic to a conclusion.  
> Hope you are all enjoying it so far!  
> Also I have to give credit to this image of [sexy Jeanbo,](https://aanerd.tumblr.com/post/173699495699) which single-handedly inspired all the smut in this chapter.


	23. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Sinusoidal - Hope](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kDgBt6Sfg0)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waddup, I've been on a road trip and had 3 hours to kill while traveling, so here's a new chapter :)

“He doesn’t feel right. “ The sound of two pairs of hands, simultaneously moving over the keyboard had stopped, both men lifting their heads up from the work they were engulfed in a moment ago, before the shorter of the two decided to abruptly voice the thought that was obviously troubling his mind.

“I know. “ Erwin agreed, losing his focus in his thoughts for a second, before knowing eyes found worried steel ones, “Maybe you should ask him about it. “

“Tch. “ _Why don’t I get a degree in Psychology while I’m at it_ , the raven laughed with a biting scoff. He was about to voice his retort further, but a few words forming in the empty space of his mind had stopped him short. They came back to rightfully haunt him. _I will take full responsibility_. “Tch. “ He gritted through his teeth. 

“You’re starting to sound like a sneezing kitten, kitten. “ Erwin addressed him teasingly, attempting to make Levi use his words, and maybe... Just maybe smooth out a bit of the wrinkles that formed on his beautiful face, from narrowing his eyes so much. It was of course, to no avail.

“How do you do that? “ Levi asked, squinting his eyes even more, trying to see through blond hairs and into his lovers, ever so composed mind.

“Do what? “ Erwin cocked his head, smiling gently, “Talk to people? “ 

“Yes. “ Levi confirmed, almost closed-lipped. 

“What would you ask him if you wanted to know how he feels? “ A question came at him, instead of an answer. 

Levi looked dumbly into his boyfriend calm, smiling face. “Would I ask you, if I knew? “ He spat his words, overtly harshly, regretting the tone immediately as it left his lips. Erwin was still looking at him, with an unwaveringly gentle expression.

“Just... Try it. “ He said. 

Damnit, this man deserved to be knighted for his patience. _Fine I’ll try,_ Levi thought before speaking up. 

“Hey Eren... Uh... How, do you feel??? “ A small chuckle followed his words, and silver eyes slitted with annoyance, knowing he probably said the wrong thing. 

“If I asked you how do you feel, what would you answer? “ Erwin challenged again. 

“Fine? “ Levi said, tone accentuated with a bit of frustration.  

“That’s right, “ Erwin snickered again, “You would basically tell me to fuck off... After which, the whole conversation would be done.” The blond continued the lecture, making air quotes around the word conversation.  

“So what the fuck should I say then? “ Levi’s voice only grew in anger after each passing minute. 

“You could try...Asking about the recent events... You know, what a person has been up to lately.“ Erwin said with a smiling sigh. “The more specific you can get the better.. For example, I would ask Eren how he is fairing with Mikasa and Hannes leaving for their hometown, after having them around for a while. It will not only make it impossible for him to answer it in one word, but  surely stir up some emotions, since it is directly connected to what we actually want him to talk about...You could... “ Erwin wanted to go on, but a piercing, deadpan stare cut him off. 

“That’s... Fucking voodoo-magic. “ Levi murmured, looking down. His brain just never worked that way. 

Erwin removed the laptop from his legs, and stood from the sofa, walking over to the man that was slumped on a chair, turned away from the computer table. He crouched in front of him, nestling in between the space of his soft fabric clad thighs, only to look him lovingly in the eyes. “So...How do you know Eren is not okay? “ He asked calmly. 

“He just.. Doesn’t _feel_ right. “ The raven repeated, more determinedly this time. He sat in silence for a moment, before continuing, knowing Erwin would ask him to elaborate anyway, any minute now. 

“When... When I touch you... “ Levi tried to explain, molding his palm with the skin of Erwin’s warm cheek. “Yeah..” He exclaimed with a smile, hearing the soft puff of air coming from his boyfriend's nose. “You always hum.. Like that... Even after 10 fucking years, you make sure that I know my touch is appreciated. “ He ran a hand down Erwin’s jaw, ghosting across his neck and arms before reaching to clasp his right hand. “But even more than that.. You... You like to be the one doing the touching. “ Levi guided the hand towards his own face, nuzzling into the big palm. He thought about how no matter where they were, even if they got separated by a crowd of mingling people, which was not unusual for the regular outings in Titan, Erwin would always just materialize next to him. It was never more than a few minutes before he would feel a hand on his shoulder, or fingers appearing to tangle his own, seemingly out of thin air.

“It comforts me,“ Levi admitted. “It lets me know that everything is... That we are okay. “

“But Eren, he... “ Levi continued, chuckling lightly. “That brat is a little goddamn furnace. Every time I touch him I’m afraid my fingertips would catch on fire. “ The raven remarked, finding agreement in blue eyes, that softened with fondness. “I can feel his muscles twitch, and he becomes all fidgety and... If I twirl my finger into his stupid fringe, he would deliberately scoot closer, adjusting to make sure my whole palm would be soon caressing his face.. The greedy little shit. He... He doesn’t do that anymore....” Levi’s words trailed off into a quieter tone. “He doesn’t smell like candy anymore either. “ Grey eyes disappeared into darkness, thinking about how worried it made him when he hugged the boy the other day, and their favorite lemonade scented brat was nowhere to be found. Eren didn’t seem to give a damn about putting an effort to care about himself. If Levi didn’t make him shower before and after sex whenever he was around he doubted Eren would do it himself. “He tastes... Dull...” The raven hesitated for a moment, mulling his words, wondering if they came out too harsh. Yeah probably, but that was the truth. “He let’s himself be kissed, but doesn’t really kiss back you know? “

Erwin watched him in awe. Even though the words Levi spoke were troublesome at least, mostly because the blond himself could confirm the truthfulness of each, even the ones that were left unsaid, Erwin let a smile curl over his lips, in the name of the admiration he felt for this incredible man that was Levi. _This_ resident, scowl-faced grump didn’t need eloquent words, nor charismatic tactics to find out how somebody feels. He could tell someone's entire story, by relying on his extraordinarily fine-tuned, receptive senses... _Truly akin to a feline_ , Erwin giggled at the thought. 

“Erwin can I ask you something? “ The voice in front of his face, cut through his wandering mind.

“Hm? “ He acknowledged, lifting his head to meet shiny, silvery eyes. 

“What the hell are you smiling about? “ The beautiful look narrowed, as Levi looked at him with confusion. 

“Nothing... I... “ Erwin suppressed a laugh this time, shifting his mind to the subject at hand. “You are completely right. “ He said with a now fully serious tone. “We have to do something about it. “ 

******

That something included, a pair of soft velcro handcuffs, one of Levi’s black-laced thigh-highs, used as a makeshift blindfold, and a peculiar looking, delicate black feather, a few white-painted swirls circling it and ending at the tip. The most important part of _doing something_ , was of course, the completely naked man, tied to the bedpost, the fabric of the lace bunched up over his eyes – Erwin suggested it would be more fun to not completely block Eren’s sight and obscure it just enough so he can only see their shadows moving about – as he breathed fast with anticipation, two pairs of eyes looking at him hungrily. 

The gentle white tip smoothed, very slowly, down his neck and continued over his shoulder, going all the way up his arm. Eren’s body shuddered, as he took a big breath in, his nose filling with the smell which he recognized and learned to love as Levi’s and Erwin's lavender fabric softener, and the signal sent to his brain was instant, making his mouth drool with the desire to feel the scent up-close from the men itself.  

Levi smiled down at him, although he knew Eren couldn’t see it. If he wasn’t going to react to their touch before, they were going to make him do so now, he thought, holding onto the satisfied smile, as the black feather caressed over the thin skin of Eren’s ribs, making his whole body twitch. 

Erwin slowly lowered his head, looking at Eren’s lace-bound face, as he poked his tongue out to lick at the brunet’s left nipple, making it glisten with saliva, before blowing at it gently, causing him to jerk his chest up, as the cold air made contact with wet skin. They were both determined on making Eren squirm under their touch.  

“Tell me brat... Is this... “ Levi ghosted the white end of the feather just above Eren’s abs, almost touching upon the skin, humming as he noted how it still prickled, even though he made no contact with it. “Pleasure or torture? “ He asked, lowering the feather flat over the muscular stomach and dragging it slowly down to the navel. 

“Haah... Ah.. I-it’s torture... Sir... “ Eren barely choked out, tightening his abdomen, as he tried to wiggle away from the sensation. It was completely futile.  

“Oh, is it now? “ Erwin interjected teasingly, putting his index finger into Eren’s mouth, before running it ever so gently, over a goosebump-covered collarbone. So _the paddle went into the pleasure box, but the feather is torturous?_ _Eren surely never seized to fascinate_ , the blond noted with a devilish smile. 

“Then, why are you enjoying it so much? “ The feather moved further down, over the length of a very hard brat, and Levi lingered for just a bit, moving the toy languidly up and now, making Eren kick his legs to no avail, the weight of the raven pressing firmly over them, as he was straddling him for everyone’s safety. No one wanted to get accidentally kicked in the balls.

“I’ll tell you what darling...” Erwin spoke, looking up at Levi, but clearly talking to the tied up man. “If you can stay still for 10 seconds, we’ll let you have us however you want... “ He smiled, seeing Levi curiously raise his eyebrow. He probably realized, the task was clearly impossible. “If not... Well, you’re stuck in here, until we've had enough of seeing you shake so prettily. “ He finished, pinching lightly at Eren’s chin, before leaning in to kiss him. 

“Y-yes sir. “ Eren confirmed his understanding with a shaky voice. He already knew he was going to fail, but an almost forgotten feeling of needing to prove himself,  started bubbling up in his bloodstream. He will at least make an effort... He... He’ll at least, try to do good for them. He felt his body tense, even before any of the two men made their first movements. 

Levi stood up from the bed, letting Erwin take his place between Eren’s thighs. He moved to the side of the brumet, smiling at seeing the boy gulp, as he was quick to trace a tickling line down his neck, already admiring the way the brunet tried to focus on and obviously struggled to stay rigid.  

It all went crumbling down, however, as Erwin’s tongue found the inside of Eren’s thighs, holding his legs down with both hands, as he only let the very tip of hit, draw glistening lines over the burning skin. _Yes_ , this is what they wanted, their hot, needy, responsive man to toy with, the telling shallow whines begging them for more.  

Levi feathered across one nipple, then the other as Eren squirmed, the game being lost long minutes ago, as they teased him just a little bit more, just until he seemed like he was going to explode. They both stopped at the same moment. 

“Good boy. “ Erwin nuzzled against Eren’s thighs, pressing his face enough into the soft skin so the sensation wasn’t one of tickling anymore.  

"B-but I lost, sir..." Eren retorted with a sourness in his voice.

“That you did. “ Levi’s lips curled into a smile, one too fond for his pride, allowed to peek through only because the person it was aimed at, wasn’t able to actually see it. He placed a chaste kiss on the boy’s wet lips, the mouth chasing after him, as he left to lean against Eren’s ear. “Which is why, we get to use you now ,as we want to. Ride me Eren. “ He whispered, the voice hushed but commanding. _Just like the first time you were here._

Erwin chuckled to himself, upon seeing Eren’s face freeze, his already lube coated fingers ready to give the brunet another surprise in a moment. He sighed out, the excitement cutting his breathe short, as he placed a finger over Eren’s hole, not waiting too long before pushing in, knowing the body splayed in front of him, all too well by now. 

While Eren was busy arching his back from the bed, Levi carefully undid the handcuffs, catching Eren’s hands into his own, and rubbing on the wrists before guiding them down onto the mattress. He decided to keep the blindfold on, and he also held onto the pretty black feather, placing it down on the bedside table only for a moment, to pull Eren up and take his place. “Face away.“ He ordered, grabbing Eren’s hand to guide him, as the brunet held onto Erwin on the other side as well, while climbing over Levi. Soon, clumsy fingers were looking for his cock, the hands touching all over that area if his body, making him shiver and wonder if Eren was doing that on purpose. He finally clasped around Levi’s length and with the help of the raven and Erwin, he lowered himself down, not hesitating too long before he started to move. 

“Jesus Chirst brat, slow... Uh... “ Levi stuttered overwhelmed with the sensation, squeezing the sides of Eren’s buttcheeks to set the pace, and slow the eager bastard down. “You don’t get a say in this remember? “ He slapped his palm harshly over his ass, creating a bounce that was nothing short of sinful, especially paired with the high-pitched squeak that left Eren's mouth after.

 _Fuck._ Levi thought as he slowly started to move his hips, in time with pushing Eren down. The lean, tan back, was tilted a bit forward, the boy busying his mouth with Erwin’s cock, which only served to pronounce his behind even more, enough to make Levi dizzy, as all three of them moved in a slow rhythm trying to synchronize. 

The raven had half the mind, to reach out for the feather, trickling it down Eren’s spine, all the way between the delectable line of his asscheeks, making the boy’s hips roll forward from the sudden touch, and Levi muttering curses under his breath. He quickened his pace, Eren having to replace his mouth with his fingers, sliding equally eagerly over Erwin’s cock, as chocolate hairs fell back, surrendering to Levi fucking him as he wished. 

“Open your mouth darling”, Erwin prompted sweetly, stepping away. “Show me your pretty tongue. “ He said reaching forward, to run a finger down Eren’s wet flesh, poking from a wide open mouth, before moving his hand to palm himself, staring at the blushed, panting, blindfolded face and getting off on the gut-tangling moans filling his ears, coming from the two man he loved the most. It didn’t take long for him to send lines of white towards the mouth that waited, wantingly agape. He reveled in the view, with heavy eyelids blinking lazily, using that to snap as much of what was in front of him to memory, as he could, narrowed eyebrows of the boy, quickly contorting into one of pure bliss, as Eren too found his release. Erwin smiled at him, running a palm through his hair, as he dug his nails into the pale thighs of his other lover, knowing exactly what to do  to send him into the same state. 

In every way, all three of them got what they wanted, the most urgent need being the temporary escape from the storm that was their reality, one that threatened to evolve to a hurricane and was contained from its potential rampaging in moments like the ones they were having right now. It was easy to feel genuine happiness, when nothing else mattered but providing and receiving pleasure, that was raised tenfold with the natural chemicals cursing through one’s veins, caused by the sensation of intimately feeling the skin of the person you love. It was easy, but it didn’t translate to a peaceful mind outside of the bedroom nor into something that would last for more than a couple of days. 

Whenever he felt that thunderstorm approaching, Eren filled his mind with every memory he had of Erwin and Levi, just the thoughts being something that was enough to get him high...It was enough once... But...Was not working right now... He thought with a defeated sigh, as he clutched his pillow in anger, in the dark silence of their shared bed, as he watched their bodies fill and empty with air. He swore right then, to get better for them... Just perhaps, not today. 

 


	24. Honestly OK

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood of the chapter [Dido - Honestly OK](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLFhhiIOEWI)

A steady and slow outward breath, provided a warming opposition to the icy air sneaking in through the seams of the grey mosquito net, as Eren clutched his coffee mug, squinting at the faintly golden hour of the rising sun. He tried to remember the feeling, with the cold air brushing over his face - leaving his home town and the first night he spent here in Sina. It tasted like the soothingly hot liquid in his mouth, invigorating and hopeful, a flavor that had the power to pick you up, no matter what kind of a day or a night you previously had. The smell of a fresh brew alone was enough sometimes, to light up ones dulled-down senses. He let his eyelids flutter down, as he tasted it again, tightening his fingers around the porcelain, hanging onto the heat it provided, as another biting gust of wind, sent shivers over his arms and back. _This is the right choice_ , he confirmed to himself with a hum. _It will be better for all._

His mind called up vivid snapshots from the lives of the two people, he needed to agree with him the most. Their smiling faces played on the back of his eyelids, pacing up his heartbeat and his resolve faltered by just a little. 

Cloudy days and then weeks passed, since the truth he so desperately sought, had jumbled over his whole existence around.  Before Eren realized, his calendar changed to a new month, then soon after, into a different year number too, as winter determinedly went into its full swing, bringing flurries of translucently white snowflakes, carried everywhere by the curling wind. But holidays were not his forte, and the sentiment of misery they brought with themselves, helped nothing with Eren’s annoyingly consistent feeling of simmering anger, reminding him that in his life, family has never meant what it was supposed to mean – not even when his parents were alive. It was all a lie, Eren thought, gazing angrily at the city swallowed by ice. It was no winter wonderland - there was grey mud, covering up almost everything that what was supposed to be pristinely shimmering snow, while melted ice filled the potholes and every small crack of the asphalt. He was mad at the city... Or rather... The knowledge that all this time, it hid the fact that his own father, always prioritized some other goals, that didn’t include the happiness of his children or wife. He was furious that the law didn’t care about ruining a small boy’s life, and even more so, he was overwhelmed by the fact, that feeling angry was absolutely futile and counterproductive, and yet he still couldn’t help feeling it. He was... He was mad at his parents for being dead.

The realization broke his heart, almost as much as seeing Erwin and Levi try so hard to put a smile back on his face day to day. He indulged them many times, forcibly curling his lips up on most occasions, other times actually letting a genuine, breathy chuckle escape him, at the sight of Levi wrapped in tinsel, looking pissed off at Erwin who managed to break the snowglobe and get fake, white snow everywhere. But those were just moments, fleeting seconds of pretending everything was fine, and Eren realized after a certain time that he couldn’t take it anymore. They needed to let him wallow in, and eventually wallow out of his grief, on his own, certain pace. He wasn’t happy, and consequently the people around him were plagued by his bad mood. Eren didn’t have the stability to carry that, as another burden.

This is the thought he entered with, into the, now snowy residence on the outskirts of the city. The idyllic winter postcard scenery was more prominent here, the lack of busy roads and an abundance of evergreens making it easier for the gentle white flakes to stick around, long enough to form a thick coat.

He didn’t even get to sigh out his first hello, before worried ocean and silver were scanning him like he just stepped into their house with a ticking bomb.

“Hi...” He managed eventually, offering a faint smile to the two men who eyed him suspiciously, as he took off his snow covered shoes and jacket, before walking across the hallway, further into the house.

“Hi Eren, “ Erwin approached him first, fixing his expression into one of soft affection. It made Eren unnoticeably clutch his fingers at nothing, jaw tensing, as a palm guided it towards the lips, he so very much loved to kiss and get kissed with. The contact made the ice in him melt into a puddle. 

“You better not get any of that white shit or mud onto my floors, . “ A deceivingly less loving greeting came at him, as a dark-haired man approached next, putting two warm palms onto his cheeks, ones that the cold made numb a while ago, bringing life back into them, a chaste peck following after the hands. Eren smiled again. Could he possibly asked them to just repeat these last five minutes over and over again, until he felt completely healed? He had a suspicion they would say yes, and it made his body shiver with cold again. _I truly don’t deserve them._

With no further words, they made their way into the bright living room, the large window-wall, making any artificial light excessive, as the reflective surface of the untouched snow from the back yard, provided enough luminance to shower the whole room in a pleasant early afternoon glow.

“I made some chocolate - banana balls today....” Levi informed rather crudely, “I managed to save a few bites for you, from _this animal_ I live with. “ He continued, glancing at the now giggling blond.

“I love you’re bananas and balls Levi, so... Can you blame me? “ Erwin voiced through a laughter. 

“I second that! “ The giggles grew louder with Eren’s support, as silver eyes rolled back with annoyance. 

“Because of that horrible joke, none of you are getting any now. “ Levi grumbled, passing by the two men to sit on the sofa. “So now that we established that, what are we doing today? “ He asked, lips tugging into a tiny smile, as he leaned on the backrest, spreading his arms over the top of it. 

Erwin followed, and Eren too made a step forward, before halting and deciding to stay back. He stared at them, as he hesitated with his next words. 

“Actually... I wanted to talk about something. If you don’t mind? “ Green eyes disappeared halfway behind a thought-filled gaze. 

“Did we ever? “ Levi answered, letting Erwin scoop his small, pyjama clad legs up from the ground, and place them onto his lap. The raven would never admit it, but he adored their height difference – it made it so much easier for Levi to mold his body to Erwin’s whenever they were close. Truth be told he never even needed to admit to anything, with Erwin flawlessly figuring him out from the moment he had the angry man pressed against a wall in that damned storage room in club Titan. Levi may have immediately visibly melted, muscles going lax under the towering stare of Erwin intensely blue eyes, body lighting up everywhere it made contact with the blond’s. It’s was as much as true then as it was now, and he felt himself relax into the sofa and Erwin’s hold, the blond’s hands smoothing gently over his thighs and lower legs. His breathes grew calmer and longer after every swipe.

“I... I’m leaving for Eldia in a week. “

 An unsure voice, focused Levi’s attention back into the present. “The ocean huh? Without us?” He asked with a bit of a surprise ,”For how long? “ He added another question, mockingly pouting, feeling a bit sad that Eren was not going to be around probably for a while. _He wasn’t truly around anyway,_ Levi thought with a bitter sigh. This vacation could be good for him.

Eren mimicked the smaller man’s sigh a few moments after. He hated himself for ripping the band aid only halfway through, which only served to  intensify his own pain for no reason. No matter how he packaged it, the outcome was going to be the same.

 “I’m...I’m _moving_ to Eldia in a week. “ He repeated the correct sentence this time, trying hard to not let his voice falter more than it already did.

Two pairs of eyes widened, meeting his own, as they seemed to search for any signs on Eren’s face, that will show them what they heard was not true. 

“Excuse me? “ Levi shifted his legs back down, standing up, before he took a step closer to the brunet. “What do you mean moving? “ He asked, a bit harshly. 

“Armin got a grant for a project, the name of which I forgot the second after he told me... I... I asked if I could come with, and he said I could.. It’s... It’s for a year... “ Eren tried to blurt out everything quickly, not wanting to having his determination crushed even more by the hurt he saw in silver and blue eyes. 

“For a year?! “ Levi dragged his body slightly back, like he was trying to put a distance between himself and the words he didn’t want to hear. The raise in his voice and the startled expression didn’t last long however, as he let his eyelids fall down halfway, covering the painful glint in his dark glare. He repeated the words, more impassive this time, “For a year huh... That’s... That’s good for you... “ He almost whispered, as he walked past the boy, avoiding the brush of their shoulders and not stopping until he was in the hallway on the other side of the door. 

“Levi! “ Eren turned to walk after him, but a hand on his shoulder cut him off in a half-step. 

“Let him be for now... “ Erwin gently dragged his hand down a sweatered bicep, slowly rotating Eren around. ”It’s better if you do, trust me.” He forced a pained smile down at the boy. _His boy_. “Kid... You’re leaving us? “ 

“I’m sorry. “ Eren murmured looking up, feeling the waterfalls of misery fighting to break over the rim if his waterline. 

“Tell me... Did we do something to drive you away?” A serious tone inquired, and Eren could feel the faintest tremor from where Erwin’s fingers were touching his arm. 

It made his stomach sick. How could he ever think that. He lifted his hands and clasped both of them on each side of the blond’s beautiful face. “No! Gosh no, of course you didn’t... It’s... It’s me... I... “ Eren grit his teeth as a tear made a line over his right cheek. “I need to get away... I need to think... Alone... While not making everybody constantly miserable in the process. “ A few more tears fought through as Eren blinked. 

Erwin caught a few with his lips, kissing gently at the brunet’s heated cheeks. He put a palm over one of the brunet’s hands, that were resting on his own face. “Please don’t cry Eren... I understand. It’s just so sudden. “ The soothing voice tried to comfort. 

“It is... “ Eren whispered, letting himself get dragged by the hand and seated on the sofa. “I only found out and decided yesterday. “ He said looking up at the man next to him. 

“Are you sure this is what you want? We... We will miss you terribly. “ Erwin gathered the brunet’s hands into his. 

The quiver of his lips, halted Eren’s response, but he knew deeply in his mind that this is what he needed to do. “Yes. “ He confirmed. “I will miss both of you... _So_ much... But... “ 

“But you need to go...” Blue eyes blinked sadly, as he pulled the boy closer to his body. 

“When...When we left Shiganshina... ” Eren spoke, head snuggled comfortably over Erwin’s shoulder, as he felt his breathing calm a little. “We wanted to explore the world... Armin and I... We never actually planned to stay here for too long...I never thought... I hadn’t planned...” His voice hitched again, as he got lifted away from the warm body by a pair of gentle hands. 

“To get spanked by a couple of old perverts and like it? “ Erwin said through a wide grin. 

“Gosh... You make it sound horrible. “ Smaller shoulders nudged at wider ones, as the brunet let his mouth stretch into a smile. 

“A year is not forever... “ Warmly blue eyes zoned out for a moment, as the man seemed to say the words more to himself. “It's just 12 months... “ He focused back on Eren, ruffling his hair. “Besides, where else would you find such cool people like me and Levi to be your boyfriends? You’re coming back? Right?  “ He asked jokingly, but there was a genuine question hidden behind those words. 

“I am... I swear... I just need some time. “ Eren repeated. “But Levi... “ The brunet stood up abruptly, to walk to the door, before opening it, and seeing the man in question, leaned on the wall. 

“Levi... “ Eren made a step towards him. His black hair was damp, the dark spots on his clothes indicating he was outside in the snow for some time. The boy wondered when did Levi got back and if he overheard anything that was said in the other room. “Levi please... Just say something. Let me... Let me explain. “ 

 “You didn’t give us a chance to be here for you, to make you feel better. Instead you’re running away. Why would I give _you_ a chance to explain yourself? “ His words bit cruelly, and with the last of them, Levi pushed his body up from the wall, and walked inside the living room, closing the door, leaving the two men in the pitch blackness of the hallway. 

 _Count on Levi to make it dramatic_ , Erwin thought as his fingers found the light switch. “I’ll talk to him. He’ll come around. He just... He really cares about you, that’s all. “ The blond sighed out. He tried to keep Levi calm this whole time, , knowing Eren was carrying big news on his tongue, as soon as he entered their house. But Levi hadn’t took it well. Damage control was probably going to take a long time. 

“If that true, he could at least say something! “ It seemed like Eren was mad too. Maybe that was for the better. 

 

********

 

Pink lips jittered, as the sound of clacking teeth got overpowered only by the oncoming squeal of the train, and the whistle of the wind that swung past Eren’s ears. 

_Erwin promised they would come to see him off. So where were they?!_

The boy, covered to the nose in a wool scarf, paced nervously across the concrete floor of the train station, eyes glancing to the big clock, the handles of which inched quickly towards the moment Eren would be forced to get into the train. 

A flash of golden hair poked out above the incoming crowd. “Erwin! “ Eren squeaked, running towards him, launching himself onto the broad chest of the smiling man. 

“Eren... “ Erwin greeted back, lifting the boy’s head and pressing cold lips firmly into the scarf, creating warmth over the place where Eren’s lips should’ve been. 

The half frozen brunet, yanked the scarf down, and threw his arms around Erwin’s neck as he kissed him, properly this time, savoring the feeling of the man’s tongue intertwining with his. He sighed for a breathe after a while, forehead pressed to Erwin’s, before he lifted his head to look behind the coated shoulder. 

There was no one there. 

He looked back at Erwin, expression pleading. 

“I’m sorry... I tried to convince him to come. He couldn’t...” The taller man pressed his lips into a line, as an apology, but nothing could salvage the way Eren’s heart sank into his belly. He instinctively used the best defence he had. 

“Tell him he’s really... He’s such an asshole! “ The brunet yelled angrily, sending warm steam up in the air from his mouth. 

“That makes the two of you. “ Erwin reminded jokingly, and Eren closed his eyes as his eyebrows narrowed. _He was right._  

“In a year... “ Eren spoke between kissing soft lips repeatedly, “Don’t make any big plans without me... “ He stopped, beginning to slowly back away, stepping across the concrete while still facing Erwin, “I forgive Levi... “ Green eyes lit up as he smiled, “I’ll see you in a year... “

_I’ll see you in a year kid._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: I forgot to add that, I am sincerely sorry for that banana joke, it has no purpose it just happened ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯,


	25. Beautiful Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HEAR HEAR!  
> While I mangle my way out of the next chapter, I have a special thingy today to shorten the wait! Have some Erwin x Levi goodness that was kindly written for this fic, by my dear friend and amazing person [nopunnofun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nopunnofun/pseuds/nopunnofun)  
> Thank you so so much! <3  
> Let's see how the two handled Eren leaving and what were they up to in the weeks that came after. Hope you enjoy this guest chapter and we would love to hear your thoughts about it!
> 
> Mood of the chapter [Andy Black - Beautiful Pain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA3thD2H7vE&feature=youtu.be)

After leaving the station Erwin had started walking, no clue where to. He let his feet lead him where they wanted, hoping for the pounding feeling in his chest to stop altogether. Eren had gone with not as much of a notice as he hoped for. Levi had barely spoken about the matter – or at all, actually. Erwin was torn between the two of them; he wanted to console them both and have them under his wing, but he also wanted to keep them from spitting at each other words that they might regret.

He had returned home in the wee hours, oblivious of where he’d been for the rest of the day. Ah, yes, he was at the pub. He hadn’t even drunk too much, he was only tired; the kind of tired you don’t get rid of with sleep.

He had feared that his arrival would have angered Levi, that there would have been broken plates and torn curtains due to his lateness. Instead he found the house neat as always, lights on but no sign of his partner. Just as he thought Levi had wanted to choke his anger outside of the house, he found him in the centre of the bed. In foetal position, knees tight and arms against his chest, he hadn’t even bothered to lie under the sheets.

Erwin’s eyes were locked on the small figure. It was if he’d tried to make himself as small as possible, and that wasn’t something he used to do. Levi was strong and fought for his space in the world. Levi stepped in a room and you knew he was there. Levi never let anything crush him to what he was now.

Anything but a silly boy with shiny green eyes. _Their_ silly boy.

It was suddenly too hard to breathe for Erwin as he grabbed a blanket from the feet of the bed and placed it over Levi’s shoulders. The shorter man let out a small sigh before diving his nose on the hem of the blanket. That was when Erwin broke, leaving the room abruptly but still making sure not to wake Levi. He slept on the couch that night.

Maybe dealing with ire would have been a better option after all.

***

Several weeks had passed since Eren left. Though the brunet had ensured to keep in touch with his boyfriends, it was only Erwin who reciprocated the messages, and the one who looked forward to the calls that slowly became rarer and rarer, until the household was unnaturally quiet. Erwin couldn’t even remember the last time Levi and he had conversed through more than grunts and mumbles, or at all.

They were both out more often than at home, and it was clear they didn’t want to deal with the thought of Eren not being with them. It wasn’t like they weren’t used to his absence; he spent time in his own apartment, too. Yet there was something in knowing he wouldn’t come through their door that made them feel terrible, as if it was their fault that he didn’t stay. He made it clear that he only needed to spend some time alone, but they couldn’t stop thinking that they could have prevented it.

After the first weeks the lies began. They were innocent at first, just small phrases like “I don’t have time”, “I want some space” or “I’m exhausted”. Soon they turned into “I got work to do” or plain, blunt “not now”. Erwin had become immune to the words and sometimes was even the one to say them. They needed to talk about the issue, especially about Levi’s anger, but postponing felt better for then. Funny how they more than anyone were supposed to know how denial was no good, and yet they fell in the same trap as anyone.

 

Five weeks, two days and fourteen hours had gone since Erwin last heard Eren’s voice. He started counting after the first week, when he noticed how loud the rest of the world was to his ears. He tried to coax anything from Levi. Even little sentences were enough for him. He wanted to be sure that he hadn’t lost them both but didn’t know how. It frustrated him.

After the third week he got used to the silence. Levi had started easing as soon as he stopped questioning him. It hurt, but Erwin accepted to do anything to keep that little contact he had with him. On the fourth week Levi even let him approach him in bed, but Erwin felt him flinch at any touch. He didn’t know how to help without communication or contact, so he lied on his side of the bed and let Levi work his way around his arms, if he wanted to.

Lately their sorrow hadn’t been the only thing pressing on Erwin’s chest. It had been weeks since they even cuddled, and he was basically drooling over Levi doing the simplest of tasks. Once Erwin had stumbled on the raven getting dressed, tight leather pants only mid-thigh allowing a flash of lacy black panties gently pressing on his soft skin. Another time he suppressed a moan after seeing him walking to bed in nothing but boxers and a large tank top that barely covered his pecs. The other day he’d tripped over his own feet upon following a long groan from behind the couch only to find out his boyfriend had considered it a good place to do yoga (in nothing but tight pants). Even when he came to visit the club in a hazardous attire, Erwin didn’t receive more than a glance from him. It was frustrating, even though Erwin knew it was a trivial thing.

***

Wednesdays were always pretty boring at the club, and Erwin rarely got to go there with his boyfriends exactly for that reason. Nevertheless, he was now sitting at the counter, face resting on his palm as a whiskey on rocks materialised in front of him.

 “Looking miserable. Not getting any?” Mike had the whole situation figured out before even having him talk.

Erwin took a long sip from the drink and winced as it made its way down his throat. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes and he couldn’t figure out whether they were a reaction to the whisky or his friend’s words. Either way, his mood dropped lower than before.

“Levi, he’s treated me like a stranger since Eren’s departure. I tried talking to him, but you know how he can avoid me.” Regardless of his strong friendship with Mike, Erwin felt a kind of shame in telling him about his boyfriend’s behaviour. It felt as if he was complaining, though he only meant to seek help.

“And you didn’t oblige?” His friend dropped the rag with which he was cleaning on the counter.

Erwin shook his head in delusion.

“Why would I? He probably doesn’t want me anymore. Do you want me t– _oof_ ”

Suddenly his face was pressed against the counter, the damp and mouldy smell of the rag filling his nostrils. He tried to move away but Mike’s hand was forcing him down. He knew his friend’s technique well, but this was the first time it was used on him.

“You stop it,” Mike’s face was closer to Erwin’s as he whispered, “the Erwin I know doesn’t say this angsty shit. He _acts._ Get your head out of your ass and talk to the guy”

The pressure disappeared from Erwin’s head and he finally took a breath of fresh – or at least fresher – air. What was that? Mike had never acted that way with anyone else but unpleasant customers. That meant Erwin had _really_ fucked up.

He hopped off the stool under Mike’s menacing look and made his way out of the club, hand in his pockets and insecurities in his heart.

***

Levi stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He froze mid-way of getting another one when his eyes met the sight at the mirror. A closer look made him squint at the almost unrecognisable figure in front of him.

Black hair still damp stuck to his forehead, almost covering his eyes, underneath which the bags had turned darker. They made him look sick, even older when added to his cheekbones, that had become even more defined in the last weeks.

 _Disgusting_.

He scowled and threw the towel on his head to dry off. That way he didn’t have to look at himself. Self-deprecation could wait.

 

The springs whined slightly under his weight. He ignored them and moved onto his back, letting out a small sigh all the same.

After the initial shock of Eren leaving, Levi had noticed how much the young man was present in his and Erwin’s lives. Every action was followed by a need to call him, ask for his opinion or simply touch him. Levi had even avoided playing videogames not to burst in tears while playing Rayman Legends, remembering how Eren used to sing along the mariachi version of Eye of The Tiger. It was foolish, yet he still didn’t want to admit having acted wrong towards his boyfriends. He wanted to let Eren know that going away with an excuse for a warning was selfish, hurtful. Levi would have never hidden anything from him.

Except he did.

He hissed and dug his palm into his eye sockets. No. He was going to think clearly. He would not mourn like a fucking widow anymore. He would somehow ask for Eren’s and Erwin’s forgiveness, if either would even grant it. A small voice told him otherwise.

“For fuck’s sake!” He yelled, running a hand through his hair. He needed to let go of all that fucking tension in him, and he knew exactly how.

 

In no time he had gathered everything he needed at the side of the bed. He then dropped the towels and lay back on the soft sheets with a pillow to prop his ass. Eyes closed, legs apart, a soft sigh escaped his mouth as his hand snaked in between his legs to cup his already half-hard arousal. On a second thought, he went further down, taking his time to stroke his balls before proceeding to his ass. As his fingers made contact with the tight pucker, he grabbed the lube and squirted some over his fingers.

A moan escaped from his throat as he imitated the motion of a tongue circling around his asshole, teasing it for longer than needed before finally inserting his index in. The tension in his lower stomach left him with a need to stroke himself. No. He wouldn’t do that yet. Instead, his free hand roamed to his balls and started massaging the thin skin near the base of his cock.

Little whines constantly came out of him as his fingers pumped inside him, every moment deeper, his hole stretching with every thrust. In no time he had four fingers stroking his insides. He tried to reach the spot that took his breath away, but it was oh, so close, yet so impossible to achieve.

A brief pause for breath to relax his wrist reminded him of something else. Without even looking, he reached for the nipple clamps on his left. He hissed as the cold metal made contact with his chest, the pain being on the verge of bearable.  As he got used to it he grabbed a vibrator as well. It was a jet black one, slightly over average length, pretty realistic despite his colour. From the base sprout a long black wire that connected the sex toy to a remote.

He spread his legs wider for better access and opened his eyes only long enough to lube up the dildo. The ring of muscles tensed at the contact with it, but Levi forced himself to endure the slight pain. He knew it did no good, but he wanted, no, _needed_ it.

As the vibrator was fully coated, Levi started thrusting it in and out of himself with one hand while the other one moved to pull at the clamps to tease his now oversensitive skin. Every inch of him craved for the tingly sensation that the shaft caused in him, every cell screamed for more length, more pleasure.

 _More_.

He stopped thrusting only to take control of the remote, ignore every rational thought and putting it on the highest setting. A rush of pleasure coursed from his groin to his chest and the tip of his now curling toes. His hips felt like bucking by themselves and he couldn’t conceal a long, awaited moan.

 

“Eren”

He was close, oh, so close. His lungs ached for air, yet he held his breath waiting for the oncoming wave, almost seeing it in the stars in his closed eyes. Still a little bit. Just a few seconds and...

The dildo flew out of him. He didn’t get to protest before something else filled him, something bigger and warmer. The warmth spread to his torso and his chest and he found himself face to face with a familiar pair of eyes.

“Erwin,” he gasped in the sudden kiss. It was hungry, merciless, his lower lip ravaged by a set of teeth before the soothe of a wet tongue on it. After pulling away Levi felt Erwin’s hair tickling his neck, a hand squeezing his arousal.

“What is it that you want?” it was a faint whisper in Levi’s ear, yet deep, full of arousal but missing something, “Please tell me.”

The raven stared at the ceiling in confusion, the words almost incomprehensible to him.

“Levi, please.” Erwin was begging. Begging. It was like a cold dagger pinching Levi’s heart. Erwin had never begged him in bed before, and Levi realised the meaning of the act.

“Fuck me.” his voice was hoarse. Had he been crying out before? It didn’t matter now, “Fuck my ass until I can’t walk, Erwin. Mark me.”

Erwin moved farter to take a look at him and frowned.

“Are you sure?”

“Use me.” Levi was smiling. He didn’t know the reason of it himself but didn’t stop regardless of it. He wrapped his legs around Erwin’s waist and pushed him closer with his heels, “Move.”

The blond didn’t look convinced yet, but he obliged and let go of his partner’s member to take control of the waist. Levi had been following his movements, but was interrupted as Erwin filled him even more. He started with a quick pace but slowed down to let Levi adjust.

Levi was almost writhing under him, smirking and never letting his gaze shift away from Erwin’s eyes. He had been interrupted, but in no time Erwin would have made up for it, and he knew it. Erwin filled him better than any dildo, knew how to touch him in the right places and how to make him squirm.

“Harder,” Levi ordered. The unusual power play aroused him even more, and he even let out a long moan as Erwin sped up simultaneously making his thighs slap with Levi’s ass. Erwin reached to stroke Levi’s cock, but he slapped his hand and whispered a “no”. He wanted to come without that, wanted Erwin to focus only on one thing.

Still, Erwin was restlessly thrusting, mouth agape and eyebrows knitted together. His movements were quick, but he needed to slow down ever more often to breathe, allowing Levi to look at his eyes behind strips of blond hair. The sharp movement of his hips aligning with Levi’s made him suppress a groan, and the shorter man seemed to notice and pull him into an open-mouthed kiss to let all those beautiful sounds out of him.

“More,” the bottom got to gasp before biting his lip, and Erwin obliged, thrusting so fast and so deep that his boyfriend’s dick started bouncing against his belly. Levi was close, and Erwin knew that. He made to stroke his boyfriend again but knew better, so he lifted his head by the nape and suppressed both of their cries in a kiss. It was in that mess of lips, saliva and sweat that Levi came undone, his voice muffled by Erwin, white and thick ropes of cum flying to his chest and belly before his eyes finally rested. Only then Erwin indulged in approaching his own release with a sharp groan, knowing better and collapsing on Levi’s side instead than on him.

Should he go closer? Would Levi be too tired? He considered cuddling, but all his questions got an answer as Levi turned on his side and rested his chest against Erwin’s.  It was like having his first kiss all over again, as Erwin’s eyes widened in surprise. The distance sure made a little something to them both. He wrapped an arm around his boyfriend and let their breathing be the only sound in their room.

“What the fuck was that?” Erwin heard Levi mumbling from beneath him. He could hardly contain a laugh anymore, but he only indulged in a huff in order not to startle Levi.

“Hey, I liked it at least,” he said, finally not feeling any weight on his chest but the one of Levi’s head.

Levi huffed and only cuddled closer, throwing a leg over Erwin’s waist.

“We’re fucked up.”

Erwin thought Levi was laughing before realising that the spasms coming from him were, in fact, sobs. All of a sudden, he cupped his boyfriend’s cheek in order to look at him directly. He was met with watery eyes, though Levi still avoided his look. Guilt flowed through his veins like tiny little nails at the sight. He – no, _they_ – made it happen.

“I miss him,” Levi whispered, “I miss you both.” The last word was half-sobbed as Levi continued to shift his gaze anywhere but Erwin’s eyes. The blond bowed his head to give a peck on his reddened nose and gave him a little smile.

“Lovely, look at me.” Surprisingly, Levi obliged, and the sight of those ocean blue eyes soothed his spasms, “I miss you too. Terribly. But please, let’s not hide it from each other. I can’t stand to see you breaking and being able to do nothing.”

“Can we please pay a visit?” Levi half-mumbled, as if he was embarrassed of it. Erwin nodded.

“Let’s see what we can do. What do you think about a nice bath for now?”

Levi gave a little nod and rolled away to let him prepare the water, knowing that otherwise Erwin would fall asleep on the spot if he didn’t get to do anything. After spending a reasonable amount of time there, they cleaned themselves and their room up and went back to bed. Erwin attempted to be the big spoon, but after a long fight they both lay exhausted in each other’s arms, legs entwined and nuzzling each other’s necks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (‘▿’ʃʃ bossy ƪƪ’▿’) bottom (‘▿’ʃʃ Levi ƪƪ’▿’)
> 
> Thank you for reading. Hope you liked this lovely intermezzo!


	26. Silver lining out of the blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Derlee - Silver Lining](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kwafyEQY38)

“Mr. Yaeger!” A pen in a raised hand, made erratic waves in the air, the owner of which proceeded to speak, even before being given any attention, “Starting from the title, through the aesthetic choices , and the themes in the work itself, it seems that blue and silver are holders of strong symbolism in the story, as the colours almost appear to be characters of their own. Would you care to elaborate on the meanings behind it? “ An annoyingly serious tone of voice, crossed the path from one of the front row seats to Eren’s ears, and he saw that it came from a face equally irritating, small eyes, with hair tied into a bun so tightly, it had a botox-like effect on the women’s appearance.

“No. “ He gave a sharp, clear-cut answer. Why was he always asked to spoon-feed information to his audience?

“The central subject of the film is universal”, a soft spoken brunette piped up next to him. The patience and kindness radiating from her eyes was the reason Eren managed to survive, and not get horribly bashed in the papers, the morning after every press conference so far. She always knew exactly the right words to use to answer any uncomfortable questions. “As the title - _Silver lining out of the blue_ \-  suggests, it’s about finding sudden hope in dark times. Instead of explaining what the author meant, every viewer is encouraged to tie their own story to the work. “ She smiled widely, before standing up, her short stature making her only a hair taller from Eren who was still seated in front of the mic. “I think we are done for today. “

A tremor of displeased voices followed them out the room, but Eren couldn’t care less about it. It was his tenth panel, in a week that had only 7 days. He was tired.

 “Thank you Pieck.” He said in a half-whisper, when they were out of the building and eyesight of everyone, gently squeezing the small shoulders of his saving grace. Talking with fans was one thing, but journalists phrasing their questions in a way that was meant to pry into his personal life, was something he wasn’t good at handling.

“You’re welcome.” She smiled, the grin making her eyes squint. “I know you are exhausted, and still you did good... Up until that point. “ A small chuckle escaped her, as she placed a palm on Eren’s cheek. “Go get some rest now Mr. Filmmaker. “

 

An hour later, with no sleep coming to his eyes, Eren replaced his bed with the foam of loudly splashing water, the force of which was splattering tiny droplets all over his legs. Sitting on the rocky sand, he breathed in the salty smell of the humid air, a pleased sigh escaping him as the cold waves brushed under his feet again, cooling him down enough, so he could calmly surrender to his thoughts.

 

_I’ll see you in a year kid..._

The darkness that came with closing his eyes, brought back the familiar words now ringing in his ears. They mixed into the rumble of the vast body of water, in front of which he sat just like he did right now, almost every moment he could. The tone of the voice he was remembering, felt similar to the rays of pleasant warmth currently showering his entire body from above. He chuckled bitterly, wishing anything about those words was true.

But life had different plans for the wide eyes of the brunet. He journeyed to the ocean, and it took him in eagerly, shifting the course of his lifeboat further and further away from the map he had initially projected for himself. The small video production jobs he took, carried him all around the country and eventually across different borders too, opening up new opportunities to fill up his passport with even more stamps, everywhere he went. He documented his travels, and his experiences ended up gathered together into a short movie that he now called - _Silver lining out of the blue_. It carried golden plaques under its title and the recent success of it on a more notable film festival, established Eren’s name as a small, but significant artist in the industry. The whole project  started out with no other intentions than just to serve as his personal diary, which he kept diligently updated, with new footage of any little town he visited. Other than a mix of urban surfaces and nature shots, he would occasionally end up talking with a few local people, wanting to hear some cool facts about whatever place he was currently in. Almost every time, he would find himself getting more than he bargained for, considering the fact that, the ones who had time for his questions were also the ones who had a lot of time in general, therefore every information Eren got, was always spiced up with personal anecdotes and wistful gazes into the past. Harboring gloomy feelings himself, he found he enjoyed listening to the ways life had treated other people, in other parts of the Earth’s map, and soon enough it became a habit of his – visit the town pub, get a few pints down and find people willing to talk about their life. The stories he captured on his small hand held camera, became his tool of healing. He learned that no matter what end-of-the-world place you got to, no matter the demographic or personal traits, people everywhere had lived through great pains, but also great pleasures, the amounts of each depending on what one had considered to be sad or happy. Some people would recall of dramatic changes in their life, like the birth or death of a loved one, devastating wars or scientific breakthroughs that advanced society. Others would talk about constant dulling misery, only to smile at mundane moments like friendly bickering with a neighbor over a beer. There were also the ones that always managed to find hardship in the smallest of things, even though they seemed to be surrounded by, a generally happy life. Eren realized each one of them saw tragedy and joy differently and had made deliberate or sometimes more subconscious decisions about which one would outweigh the other. It made him wonder whether he let the bad in his life completely cover up and swallow all the good? What were the things that were the sources of his happiness? He would click the stop button on his camera after every conversation, only to conclude the same thing every time no matter what the story was - Life was cruel but beautiful, and the only constant in it, was that it never stopped moving forward. So Eren decided to trust that and let the flow take him wherever he was supposed to go, while he searched for answers within and outside of himself.  He compiled his experiences into a half an hour story, and to his surprise, it brought him an award and then another, getting him invitations to film festivals, the slightly cheesy, poetic observations he spoke out loud behind the lens of the camera, making people wipe at their eyes at every screening,  without fail. The black and white atmosphere, in which only the happy moments where given splashes of shimmering silver and bright blue colours, intensified the contrast of the good and bad in life. Any time he had a chance to sit through a projection, that one certain feeling, the one that was telling him he already had all the answers he needed, had cemented itself deeper and deeper into his brain. Still, without having the time to take a breather and look back, the handles on his clock spun fast, and soon, he found himself on the end of his journey and back on the shore again.

It’s been four years.

 

[To Erwin]: _I’m coming back on Saturday_

 

Eren pressed the send button and felt his heart speed up a few notches. It was a long time since their last text, the messages being frequent in the first year and then tapering off and being reduced to special occasions like birthday greetings and pointless holiday wishes. Even though they were rare and never seemed to include Levi, Eren still regarded each one as precious treasure, something to keep him going on occasional nights when he felt overwhelmingly lonely.

A buzz in his palm, shifted his attention back to the phone.

 

_[Erwin] : Do you derive pleasure from giving me heart attacks, Eren? How long are you staying?_

The words reflected in teal irises, and Eren sighed with a tiny smile for just a moment, before his face quickly molded into one of worry again.

 

[To Erwin]:   _However long you want me to!_

 

He typed out quickly. The real question was _would they at all_ , but he didn’t have the guts to phrase it that way. Salty fingers squeezed onto the device stronger, staring at the screen in burning anticipation, as minutes passed by.

Another buzz managed only half way, before Eren pressed his fingers on the message icon.

 

_[Erwin] :  I hope you are not saying things that you won’t be able to stand by later._

His mouth scrunched into a line, before he sighed out a breath he was holding while he read the message. The answer wasn't a forgiving one but it wasn’t a rejection either.

 

[To Erwin]: _My work is where I am....And I... I want to be home._

 

He closed his eyes as a shuddering breathe escaped him. This is what he was agonizing over for at least a year now, as time did it’s thing in putting his heart back together. He started feeling alive again, he recognized the way his laughter grew more genuine and the suffocating air surrounding him was now easier to breathe. He realized somewhere in the middle of flying over the Umi Ocean, that Erwin and Levi would be very glad about how far he had emotionally come...But the proud swell in his heart deflated as he remembered they weren’t exactly here to witness it. He wanted to share this Eren with the people who deserved it the most - it was the only missing piece to complete the cracks in his insides.  He knew he had no rights to expect a warm welcome, but he didn’t care. What he sought after right now, was just a small sign, a glimpse of reassurance, telling him that Erwin and Levi were willing to let him fight for a place in their lives again.

 

_[Erwin] : Let me know when you arrive. Congratulations on the movie by the way._

Eren’s breathe hitched, as his eyes scanned the words.

 

The second he landed in Sina, that’s exactly what he did.

 

*********

 

They met at a small cafe in the eastern part of the city, the next morning. Eren noted the address with a tinge of bitterness, realizing it was most likely chosen because it carried the least amount chances, for them to run into someone they knew, which consequently meant Levi had probably no idea Eren was in town, or that he would be meeting Erwin for coffee. He could understand why, but it still felt bad.

“Eren... Is that you? “ A deep voice inquired, tapping his shoulder. The brunet flipped around, quickly landing his eyes on the face, that made him feel the beat of his heart, in his throat. It felt very much like the first time they met for a date. The emerald of his gaze doubled in its size, taking in the picture of the man in the long black coat. _Fuck..._ Eren hadn’t seen him in so long, and it seemed like Erwin was the kind of man to get better with age. He felt his soul being inspected by the blue stare, that reflected the sun like a glass surface, the wrinkles around doing nothing to lessen their beauty. Eren sighed upon catching a glimpse of himself in them. He stared wordless for a moment, before noticing the few grey hairs, shimmering on the sunlight beneath the flawlessly styled blond hair, parted on the side, and the faint stubble hugging the sharp jawline, circling around the man’s lips, giving green eyes another spotlight to marvel at. Eren gulped as his gaze fell on the soft, ripe-peach coloured flesh. He lingered, probably for too long, and saw as one side of the line separating them, had curled just slightly upward. As always, the man knew when he was getting ogled, and even now he never cared to hide his satisfaction over it.

“You look good too kid. “ He said with a smirk, before turning away to pull at the door of the coffee shop. “After you. “

Eren walked in, trying to fight away the dumbfounded expression his face was probably graced with, every part of his affection-starved body waking up, as their arms accidentally brushed against each other in the doorway. He was a damn full for ever leaving the embrace of such a man. If he had known of a better way to handle things in the past, without leaving so far away and for so long, he would have done it. But he did what he could at the time... When running from the emotional was impossible, the only choice he was left with, was physical escape.

Erwin listened silently to Eren as he was once again explaining himself, the brunet starting to speak even before he was asked any question. The blond meant what he said earlier – grown up Eren was spectacularly easy on the eyes. Sharper features, with a hint of time showing up around the easily excitable glint still there in jade orbs, paired with a tan of someone who regularly showered in the sunlight, all made it so that Erwin had to put in a bit of an effort to focus on the brunet’s speech, and to hold himself back from audibly sighing out, like a love-struck teenager. The other reason that made it possible to only half-listen, was that he already had a very good idea about how Eren felt and what he wanted. He never truly held it against him – the fact that he left and how he left, nor the fact that he pursued his own happiness instead of relying on someone else to provide it for him... Not even how long he was gone. He knew Eren did the right thing... The best thing he could for himself at the time, and he admired the fact that the boy instinctively made such a decision, relying probably only on a gut feeling. Behind the tooth-rottingly sweet awkwardness there was always, that unbreakable resolve in Eren’s eyes that both Levi and he adored so much. In fact, he was looking at it now, and it made him wish he could just forget Eren was ever gone and continue their story where it paused four years ago.

“You broke your promise. “ Erwin spoke a few moments after Eren had finished his monologue. “I, really thought I would never see you again. “ He didn’t meant for it, but his tone of voice came off rather reserved, cold even, as his mind worked to hold him back from succumbing to emotions too easily. He felt no anger, but that didn’t change the fact that the damage was done. It’s been long... Too long to not feel the hurt when he looked at the boy that had grown into a man without them. He knew, that eventually this side of him, the one which was completely powerless against the depth of the ocean-green in Eren’s eyes, the mulling of colours in his stare that seemed to contain all the things he went through while he was gone, together with all the words he still wanted to say... Erwin knew, that side would eventually win and that in fact, he was already a broken man. But this was not just about him, just like it never was. He looked up to stare into the boy’s face, stone-like expression unwavering. He needed to be sure his feelings and more importantly Levi’s feeling would never-ever get hurt like this again. “You are staying? For good? “

“That depends if you want me to... If you both want me to stay... “ Eren answered quickly, fighting the impulse to break eye contact. “I would need to travel occasionally, sometimes stay in Eldia for a few days... But... But if you tell me there is even the smallest chance that I end up as a part of your lives again... Then... Then I will stay and work for it until it happens.”

“Eren...” A larger palm, slowly slid over a smaller, more tense one, and Erwin felt the fingers beneath his hand slightly tremble at the touch, as the heat from their skins melted together.

 

*******

 

“Did you know Eren made a successful movie? “ There was no point in dancing around the subject too much, Erwin thought to himself as he posed the question to a dark-haired man, who was engulfed in some kind of a research on his laptop across the room. Erwin raised one eyebrow while casually scrolling through his phone, masking the anticipation of the ravens reaction.

“Eren... “ Levi spoke without looking up. “... Don’t think I know anyone by that name... “ He brushed of the sudden question, with a cold side glance, before immediately returning his gaze to the screen. _Why the fuck was Erwin bringing up that brat now_ , Levi wondered letting out a barely audible huff filled with irony. His mouth curved into a tiny side smile, the one that speaks of sadness more than anything else. _Of course he fucking knew_. He knew what Eren had for breakfast this morning for God’s sake, considering how _Mr. I’m so popular right now_ , never failed to Instagram every dumb thing he was up to.... Considering... Considering that even through his best efforts, Levi couldn’t stop himself from ghosting Eren’s social media... Each one of the 10...He even read his pretentious little interviews that would come out occasionally in obscure art magazines... It was pathetic and Levi would rather have his house raided by a hoard of muddy dogs than admit to the fact that he followed through the brunet’s entire life for the past four years. Even though he saw Eren’s face almost daily, his one wish to have a chance to see it live, from time to time, had sadly never came together. Eren was always busy, especially in the first two years after he left, never staying in the same place for more than a few days and it made it impossible for their schedules to align. After a dozen attempts they had stopped trying. Levi knew, it was not really Eren’s fault, and he was even glad that the boy at least had a productive activity to focus on, a newfound life force to keep him afloat and learning of his recent success, he would dare to say that he was even proud of him... But that did very little to diminish the bitterness and hurtful emptiness he felt for not having him around. He locked Eren’s image away a long ago, not forgetting him, but putting the feelings it elicited in a box under his bed. Seeing that it has been four years, Levi hadn’t thought he would ever open it again.

“Come on Levi, are you five? Talk to me like a grown up, please. “ Erwin rolled his eyes.

Silver orbs, narrowed to thin slits, “Yes, I'm five...Five seconds from leaving the room if you continue to talk about him. “

Erwin sighed, pressing his lips gently together. It’s been a few days since his meeting with Eren... A few days which he spent cracking his mind open, in hopes to find the best strategy to break the news to Levi. The brunet was smart enough to not announce his presence over the internet, and Erwin asked him to keep it that way for a while more, knowing all too well about Levi’s secret daily hobby. But no matter how much he thought about it, he came up with nothing. Just the fact that he had already kept a secret for so long, made the tinge of guilt start to eat away at him, and he knew that sooner rather than later, he would need to spill everything.

“He is in town. “ The blond said abruptly again. _Tell everything..._ He thought... _Just maybe in small doses._

Levi failed to hide the shock on his expression, as he turned to look at Erwin. _Eren’s in town? But how? I didn’t see anyth..._ He schooled his heartbeat quickly, and his face followed, feigning disinterest.

“You talked to him? “ The raven asked in a fakely monotonous voice.

“I did. “ Erwin confirmed.

“Did... Did you see him? “ Levi’s words wavered, and silence answered his question instead of the man.

There was the slight widening of silver eyes again, before emotions disappeared once more behind the deadpan expression. “Of course you did... How is he? “ Levi said nonchalantly, and Erwin observed him for a long minute before answering.

“Maybe you could think about asking him that yourself, one of these days? “ The taller man offered in a careful tone.

“Absolutely, I am happy to throw my heart into a wood chipper just to see Eren once before he leaves again. “ Levi bit back sarcastically. “No fucking way. “

“Levi...” The blond addressed him slowly, making the smaller man look up, “He...He told me he wants to stay... For good.” Blue eyes bore into grey ones, gauging their reaction. “I think he is telling the truth. If you would agree to meet him once, you would know what I mean. “ Erwin tried to counter the scowl he was facing with a gentle, pleading smile.

But Levi only breathed out angrily. “And what the hell am I supposed to say to this now?! “

A few moments of silence followed as they both seemed to try to grasp the situation they found themselves in.

“Nothing... Just... Think about it, ok? “ Strong legs lifted the blond man up from his place on the sofa, as he crossed the distance between himself and the visibly upset raven on the other side of the room. Reaching him, gentle fingers tangled into silky dark locks. “I have no rights to ask of you to be forgiving towards Eren, and that’s not what I am here to convince you to do. I just think you owe it to the feelings that you buried but still harbor inside, to go out and meet him... Talk to him, and judge him for yourself... See if there is anything that might still be worth swallowing past sorrows for... Just promise me you’ll consider it hm? “ The last letter got pressed onto a pale forehead by a pair of warm lips.

More heavy silence lingered in the air, before Levi gritted out an _I guess_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think there will be only one more chapter after this one (unless it gets too long), so just letting you know :)  
> I struggled with this chapter quite a bit, for some reason it was difficult to write and it didn't flow as I wanted it too, but I hope it is still an enjoyable read!


	27. Levigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So...I can't believe I am finishing this fic. I won't bore anyone with long rambling, I just wanted to thank you all so so much, for being the sole enablers in making this fic happen in the first place. Thank you, thank you and will see you around!
> 
> Mood of the chapter [aproduce - a smooth surface](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKOCfJekJWM)
> 
> P.S. Levigation - _the process of reducing something to a smooth consistency. Usually done, so different substances would mix well, with one another. ___

[From Eren] : _Happy birthday grumpy face_

.........

 

[From Eren]: _Happy birthday Levi. I know you hate Christmas but I hope you’re having a good time._

........

 

[From Eren]: _Would love to see your butt in this someday._

_Attachment – **Strawberries.jpg**_

.........

 

[From Eren]: _Hey did you know Half life 3 is coming out this year?_

 

Levi chuckled at the last two messages, the stupid texts staring at him from his phone screen as he held it above his face, his tired body comfortably stretched out on the sofa. It has been half an hour since he got home from work and it was going to be another hour more before Erwin would've stepped through the door with dinner. Comfort food, with a side of comfort hugs was exactly what he craved right now. Considering however, that it was going to be a while before his wish would come true, unable to fight his exhaustion, he resorted to supporting himself with the soft beige cushions of their living room couch while he waited. In a different, almost forgotten life, this would be the time, at which he would seek out his other favorite source of alleviation... One that included putting a healthy dose of pink color on the cheeks of a certain, innocently green-eyed nerd. Just a few flirty words, whispered through a video call were sometimes enough to get that goal checked off, but more often than not, Levi fancied to be a bit more...Extravagant with his methods. Getting Eren flustered was easy, a few crude remarks, said in time with Levi pulling his shirt off, would always do the trick and after a bit of playful teasing, Levi would generously talk the brunet through his orgasm, making him take a pause from whatever daily task he was doing at the moment. After all, if Eren was really busy, he wouldn’t have picked up the phone in the first place. But more than that, the real fun was occasionally talking Eren into doing the same to Levi. The raven would listen to the boy spluttering over the screen, trying and failing to sound or look even remotely seductive, as words would come out of his mouth with the speed of someone who, just learned how to talk. Green circles would widen, Eren zoning out anytime Levi bit at his lip or hissed with pleasure. The older male had to periodically raise an eyebrow, reminding Eren to keep talking, and the blush that would light up the other side of the screen, as the brunet realized he was caught just wordlessly staring, was what Levi was actually looking for in this entire, sweetly pleasurable game. It was what made Eren so great, all the while being so terrible at dirty talk.

Levi sighed out. That memory, and every other memory that contained Eren’s face, were completely tainted with the dark colors of what came after. He realized he was clutching around his phone, pressing it upon his chest like the cold plastic was somehow the person he wanted to feel close too right now. It wasn’t... But, on a second thought, it contained him in a way, and it was what prompted Levi to open up his inbox, and gather up his strength to look at the messages he ignored for the past 4 years. There were many....Even though he would randomly delete some, whenever his phone whined at him due to lack of space, erasing them without ever knowing what they contained, there were still many left.

 

[To Eren]: _I... think I have a very similar pair of white panties like that, in my closet._

 

*********

 

Emerald eyes kept appearing and disappearing behind the fluttering of thick dark lashes.

“What’s wrong? “ Armin asked, glancing up from his magazine, to the brunet that looked like he was about to faint.

“Nothing... I... “ He turned his phone around in slow motion, pointing the screen at the blond.

“Oh...,” Armin spoke, widening his stare. “... It’s Levi!“ 

Eren just nodded his head, still not being able to react in any other way than by blankly staring from his phone to his friend in shock. Four years... Four years he wished for this... For Levi to just once acknowledge and reply to his message, for his stupid name to just pop up, just one time on Eren’s screen. Erwin must’ve told him he was here. Maybe, maybe he even told...

Another message derailed his train of thoughts.

 

[From Levi]: _“And that Half Life 3 joke was not funny even when it was relevant. The reality of that happening back then was just as impossible, as you finding time to see us. “_

 

 _Ouch_. Eren scrunched his lips, flipping his phone once again for Armin to see. “Well I deserved that... “ He spoke through a sigh. Having his friend here to lighten his anxiety was just another blessing he didn’t deserve, and he thanked the heavens for it every time he was met with Armin’s face, full of understanding. Their closeness suffered a similar fate as the ones of Erwin’s and Levi’s, when it came to Eren’s attention after they moved. Truth be told, they both went consensually on their separate ways, pursuing what each of them thought was right in life, after they settled down in Eldia. It was a tear-filled revelation for Eren to realize, their friendship was just a phone call and a drunk night out away from being reignited again. It rooted a strong thought into the creases of Eren’s mind – he had people in his life who loved him...Unconditionally. It was time to start doing things that would make him deserving of that kind of affection, and he began the process firstly with his family. A few months back, he gathered up everyone, from Mikasa and Hannes to Armin and after flipping of his busy movie maker lifestyle, he decided to take an overdue break and sail out to the ocean in a rented boat. _“We stay here until we get sick of each other”_ He told everyone through a joking voice, even though the intention was every bit serious. It took them a month and a half before they set their sails back to land, a month and a half in which tense feelings were tended too, and harsh surfaces smoothed out, resulting in tears and later laughter that were healing to, not only the person from whom they were coming from, but the others too, who got to listen to their loved ones being happy again. It was right before he decided to come back here, to Sina, a journey to which Armin kindly offered to follow him to, considering he still had a week left of his own vacation time. That’s how they ended up in a hotel room, with the small blond being the source of endless encouragements for Eren’s latest path of setting things right.

“You did. “ The blond said shrugging his shoulders. Other than emotional support, Armin also offered unbiased reality checks.

Green eyes closed as Eren sighed out. If he would just get a chance to see Levi too, even if they would want nothing to do with him after... Just for an hour... Or two...

“Better not take too long to respond. “ Armin advised, seeing Eren’s mind wonder off. 

“Yeah... Yes... You right. “ He opened his eyes to the world again and with another deep breathe in, he typed out a message.

 

[To Levi]: _Well... It managed to get you to reply to me, which is all I ever wanted :]_

 

It somehow took off from there, their wavy, rocky road to reconciliation, and even though it was slow and uncertain Eren was over the moon that something was happening. In the coming weeks, every message from Erwin or Levi got his heart in a tense grasp of that nice kind of pain, the one you feel whenever your mind refuses to believe that you actually got something you really wanted. They were getting to know each other again, all three carefully venturing into each other’s limits and pulling back when a certain subject seemed to hurtful or sensitive to be talked about. Eren never saw Erwin again though, the tall blond seemingly wanting to let Levi control the pace of their newfound relationship, or... whatever this occasional back and forth texting was. The brunet didn’t mind, even though his brain burned with the need to see their faces, he patiently waited. It didn’t matter however long it took, this is what he planned to do, _they_ are what he planned to do for the rest of his life, in whichever way they may decide to let him.

Armin went back a few days after Levi’s first text, and Eren tagged along, returning to Eldia only to pack up his belongings, while he looked for an apartment in Sina, to which he planned to transfer all of his shit to. He wanted to make sure it was clear that he meant what he said, and permanently moving back was just the first step. Soon his was sipping on a strong coffee in his new apartment in the city centre. He considered for a brief moment, moving somewhere closer to the outskirts where Erwin and Levi lived, but other than not wanting to come off as a stalker, he was never a suburbia kind of guy. He loved hearing the noise of the urban area, fighting his way through crowded streets, cursing at non-existent parking spaces and the 24/7 background music of the city that never slept. It was alive and it made Eren feel like that too.

It happened many weeks later.  The same mug, filled with ice cubes and cocoa this time, bounced off of the laminate floor before separating forever from its handle, as sugary liquid spread all over the floor.

“Aaaahhh... Motherf...” _Fuck_. Flailing about in panic, Eren accidentally dipped his toe into the wetness. _It doesn’t matter._ He said to himself determinedly, as he stepped away from the absolute mess he created, clutching his phone, as his mind internally screamed at the words shining from his device.

 

[From Erwin]: _We were thinking about grabbing some lunch in the city this weekend. Want to joins us?_

[To Erwin]: _YES!_

 

He didn’t care how desperate or pathetic that sounded... In all honesty, he was both of those things, and he needed to express his joy with both caps lock and an exclamation mark. He needed to... Fuck, he needed to tend to the cocoa milk growing into a lake on his wooden floor plates, and stop it from seeping into cracks from where it could never be cleaned up again. He chuckled as he snapped a picture.

 

[To Erwin and Levi]: _This is your fault._

_Attachment – **Cocoa lake.jpg**_

 

Not a second passed before there was a reply.

 

[From Levi]: _Let me get this straight... You answered our message, took the time to take a picture and send it to us, while that sticky shit was spreading all over your floor?! I am calling off the fucking lunch meeting._

 

[To Erwin, Levi]: _I’m sorry jeez._

_Attachment – **Clean.jpg**_

Eren answered with a chuckle, a good 15 minutes later, after barely managing to stop the disaster from reaching his carpet. 

 

[From Levi]: _Nothing about that looks clean._

 

[From Erwin]: _I guess we’ll have to come over one of these days so Levi could get your place up to his standards._

[From Levi]: _I am not cleaning after a baby pig, not even if I date one._

[From Levi]: _*dated_

A correction came as fast as the drop in Eren’s mood. 

 

They met in front of a big, double glass door, the grass-green sign above it, welcoming them to a salad bar. _Of course..._ Eren’s thought as his face winkled in displeasure, _they had to go for some healthy food bullshit._ But he wasn’t in position to complain, and even if he were, he probably wouldn’t have dared to, remembering all too well the lecture that would follow after, the verbal, but also the physical one too, Erwin and Levi never failing to come up with new ways to make him understand that eating well is important. Like that one time they drove him mad with an ice cold stethoscope, before giving him the cardio of his life time. He wished he could let an immature comment, get him in some sweet trouble... But now was not the right time for that, Eren had to remind himself, and he quickly made peace with the upcoming struggle of deciphering the menu. Considering the way his heart kept doing perfect, ten-score somersaults, making him gulp constantly to try and keep the honest bastard down, he doubted he would be able to swallow a single bite anyway. The three man greeted each other with soft _Hi’s_ and polite head nods, before Erwin held out the door for them, as they walked in.

“Please stop looking at us like you are seeing ghosts... “ Levi observed, noting Eren hadn’t stopped widening his pupils at them since the moment they sat down. “It’s creepy. Especially when you look like you took fashion advice from the friendly, local, homeless alcoholic. “ His words stung double, pairing up with his glare. 

“Hey! “ Eren retorted, smoothing down his shoulder length hair, with his right palm. Erwin never commented any negative things about his appearance, in fact... “Erwin thinks I look good. “ The brunet said with a smug smirk.

“Of course he does. Isn’t it unfortunate how one’s sight deteriorates with old age? “ Levi continued to bite, unblinking. 

The tall blond chuckled. “May I ask, _why am I_ included as a target for your sass today? “ He inquired, leaning his fingers softly onto his chest in mock offence.

“It’s your fault I’m here.” Another crude answer came, before the waitress warily approached their table, her too, not being spared from Levi’s scornful mood.

They ordered their lunches, and Erwin made sure to offer a few words of apology to the young girl, who was becoming visibly more and more agitated by the raven’s attitude, before she smiled sourly and left, probably to spit into their food.

“Levi!”

“L-evi...”

Two separate voices sounded at the same time, the deeper one, full of reprimand, while the other resonated in frequencies not louder than a plea. Green and blue eyes met with a quick glance, before the owner of the latter, let a gentle smile erase the scowl from his face. “Sorry, go ahead Eren, I’ll have plenty of time to tell Levi off  later. “ Narrow eyebrows returned for a moment just to make it known to Levi that he was in trouble. There was only so much shit Erwin was willing to let his boyfriend get away with, and being rude to people that didn’t deserved it, topped the cap for today. 

Eren gulped instead of the smaller man, the tell-tale coldness of Erwin’s pissed off voice making him feel tiny needles poking along his spine. Silver eyes remained as unbothered as ever, and Eren sighed out before he spoke up again. “Levi, I... “ Much like before, the words just started spilling out of his mouth. He tried...He tried so hard to convey what he was feeling, and what he wanted, and what the past four years have meant to him in terms of getting well again. He swore to not let himself stumble over his own words, not wanting to sound unsure, reciting these exact phrases at least a million times in his head, as every iteration contained newer, more precise ways of describing how much he missed them, how much he felt guilty every time he had to reschedule their meetings, and the devastation when he realized that after so long... It never actually happened. He put so much effort into gently and clearly presenting the fact that, it was exactly why he wanted space away from them. So he wouldn’t hurt them, so they won’t grow to resent him while he recovered in his own cocoon. So they wouldn’t look at him... As they... As they did now. He sighed again to catch his breath. It dawned on him right then, that no matter what choice he would’ve made back then, the story would’ve finished with the same act. He hurt them, while doing something that produced exactly the thing he wanted to avoid.

“All I hear is a cacophony of bullshit excuses. “ Levi spoke up after a few moments. Texting about mundane things with the man who somehow managed to shatter things inside of him, stupid, happy things he didn’t even knew he had, was one thing. Seeing the man in flesh and having all those feelings bubble up from the depths of his stomach to his head, was on a whole other plane of undigestible for Levi’s heart. Avoidance, hiding behind rude, sarcastic comments... That was the level at which he managed to handle his emotions. This now, was a lot more than that and he huffed loudly as the problem stared at him from across the table. “I... “ He started and stopped, turning his head away. 

Eren’s slow gulp sent the tears right up to his eyes, glazing the green with a watery reflection. 

“Levi... “ Erwin whispered this time. 

The dark-haired man laughed bitterly. “Oh well then! Let me introduce myself. I’m Levi, an absolute jerk, a giant asshole... “ He directed his glare at the blond man on his left side, “You knew that when you dragged me here... He... “ Burning silver shifted to Eren, “He knew that when he agreed to meet us. “ A few silent moments followed as Levi closed his eyes, fingers tensly curling over the edge of the table. 

 “I... I don’t know of any other ways to say this... How to put things in a way to... To make them sound, less... Less like me“ He mumbled out, before looking up, eyes still very narrowed. “Eren... I don’t think you were in the wrong to leave...but that sure as l hell didn’t make it hurt any less. “ 

Three plates made their way onto their table, cutting through the density of the tension that lingered between them. A lunch date seemed to be quite the stretch, Erwin concluded with lips pressed together, observing the state of the men in the chairs next to him, together with the waitress, and the people at the tables around them, who seemed to look just as uncomfortable. 

Levi sighed out, a soon as they were alone again, “I’m sorry... “ He said, making two heads turn to look up at him. “I guess... I guess I just need a bit more time. You would understand that won’t you? “ The small man stood up, the sarcasm in his word un-missable. “This was a bad idea. “ He whispered as he walked away. 

Eren followed him with a broken stare. 

“I’m so sorry... “, Erwin offered, reaching out his hand to touch Eren’s. But the brunet just pulled it away, closing his eyes, as he shook his head in understanding. _It’s ok, just go... Go after him_ , he thought but hadn’t had the strength to say. Opening his mouth would mean, the whole restaurant would get to see him cry. He pressed his lips together and waited till Erwin was a while gone, before he too left the restaurant. 

The same night, a muffled vibration, made Eren lift his head, realizing he dozed off on a tear soaked pillow. It felt disgusting. 

 

[From Erwin]: _Don’t give up on him... Or us. He had his hissy fit, it can only go better from here. Just give him a bit more time. And please, don’t cry._

 

That only made the emotions flood over Eren more. _I... I won’t...give up..._ He spoke to himself through his own sniffles, wiping them away with a new resolve. 

 

A week passed, a few days of which he spent on a shoot in Eldia. There was a city funded project, that aimed to compile all the local myths and legends into a few short individual movies, and Eren was called to participate in the making of one of them. It was quite ironic how he had collected hundreds of stories from all around the world and yet, he never thought of procuring one from the very city he lived in for so long. He chuckled sourly, the first time he read the booklet. Apparently, there were giant monsters known amongst the people as Titans, who were once hidden in the walls surrounding the city. They guarded the town from evil, but at the same time inadvertently created a prison for the residents within. A young boy wished one day, for the walls to disappear and he did everything in his power to make that happen. Eventually he got what he yearned for, but it had caused him his own demise. Eren couldn’t relate more to him right now. 

He was on his train back home when a beep signaled a new message somewhere in the front pocket of his backpack. He shuddered, realizing the sound just made him fill up with anxiety. It was completely ridiculous to react like this to a single message... It could literally be from anyone... But it wasn’t ... It was from Levi. 

Eren’s breathe wavered on its way out. 

 

[From Levi]: _I really am an asshole._  

The boy stared at the message, a small smile slowly creeping over his lips. 

[To Levi]: _A wise man once told me, that makes the two of us..._

 

The reply came without much delay. 

 

[From Levi]: _Does that wise man happen to have blond hair and the body of a Greek god?_  

 

Another beep.

                                          

[From Levi]: _Shit, Eren... Do you think we could have a redo?_

 

By now the brunet could feel his heart beating out of his chest. 

 

[To Levi]: _I should be the one asking that._  

There was an immediate answer. 

[From Levi]: _Let’s have a redo then._

 

Their second attempt at spending time together went a lot smoother, than Eren had braced himself for. Maybe it was due to the fact that this time, they were surrounded by the fresh, fully bloomed, late spring atmosphere of Sina’s park, instead of dozens of eyes staring at them in discomfort. Or maybe it was because, everyone silently agreed to not approach any subjects that had the potential to end in a disaster. Maybe that’s were their last meeting went wrong. Levi had never cared about losing air over spewing meaningless words around, talking over things when sounds meant nothing if they weren’t supported by action. Eren planned to take those actions and prove that he meant every sappy word he said. 

“Hey Eren... What is the meaning of the colors in your movie? “ Levi asked with the biggest smirk on his face. 

They were taking a tea break in the garden of the white fenced café in the park, when the question came at him, making Eren swallow the tea in a stupid way, immediately inducing a not so elegant coughing fit. 

 _What in t.. ?_ Eren’s cogs started moving, as he slowly managed to breathe again. Not only did Levi apparently watched his movie, but he was asking the same question Eren refused to answer every time it was brought up in an interview. If Levi’s aim was to make him say something embarrassing then he just did the same to himself, admitting he knew all about what Eren did and said in the years he was gone. That wasn’t like Levi at all, and the knowledge left Eren with burning ear tips. 

“I just read some of your interviews brat, get over yourself... And answer the question. “ The man said rolling his eyes. It still made Eren blush more. _So he does care._  

The next thing that followed was the brunet’s sigh of hesitation. “I’m afraid if I tell you, you’re going to definitely just stand up and leave. “ Eren chuckled. “Or maybe roll your eyes so hard that they’ll fall out. They are so pretty though, so if that happens maybe I could wear them on a neckla...” 

“Eren... “ Levi warned, making Erwin giggle softly. 

“Yeah Eren, please give Levi’s ego a little boost. “ The tall man teased looking at the raven. It was not hard to guess where Eren’s inspiration came from... Even Levi would’ve figured out as much. 

“Shut up old man. “ The smaller man scoffed with a side glance. 

 _Ughhh..._ “Fine... Ok.” Green eyes casted a shy glance down, as the brunet started to speak, “Ok so... You have grey eyes right? Actually, they are more like shiny... Or silvery...“ 

“Mhm... “ Levi listened with a devilish smile, leaning his elbow on the table, while cupping his own face.

 _What a bastard_. Eren managed to shift his gaze up to Erwin, and contrary to the raven’s, the smile that greeted him spoke volumes about the fondness, the man behind it felt for the one looking at him. It gave Eren the calm he needed to continue speaking a bit more confidently. Levi would get what he asked for... An embarrassingly cheesy confession. “And you...You have the most serenely blue eyes that I have ever seen. “ Eren returned the loving gesture, a bit mockingly but still meaning every single word, just as Levi’s huff instantly worked its hell-sent duty to break up any love-inspired magic. “Anyway... “ The brunet continued, after a small cough, “Somewhere in the middle of all the craziness that was my life for the past four years, I realized you two were the best thing that happened in my entire, mostly miserable existence and I guess... I guess I wanted to commemorate that by highlighting all the happy moments in the movie with those colors... With the... Colors of your eyes... While leaving everything else black and white... “ He observed the two men for a moment, waiting for a reaction. “So uh... That’s it... “ he added quickly. 

Two or three seconds passed before Levi spoke up. “Disgusting. “ He turned to face the tall man next to him. “Shall we? “

Erwin just nodded, wearing a grin, as they both started to pack their stuff in a preparation to leave. 

“W-wait ... Are you seriously walking away? “ A slightly panicked emerald gaze followed their movements. 

“We are. “ Levi answered concisely, and both Erwin and he already took a few steps away, before the smaller man turned around, barely hiding back a loud laughter, as he took in Eren’s bewildered presence. “Do you need a formal invitation card or...? “

The brunet jumped from his seat, running to catch up to them. He couldn't help how the flutter in his chest made his sigh sound both happy and sad, the moment he found himself in the back of a very familiar car. 

They spent the rest of the evening in Erwin and Levi’s garden, talking about everything, and nothing at the same time, the gold of the sunset making the already colorful scenery almost psychedelic. It was just how Eren felt inside, a bubbling happiness he hadn't felt for so long, the one you can only get from the chemical reaction of being physically and emotionally close to the people you deeply care about.

 

*******

 

Things were still far from perfect, as the days strung one after another , on the threads of their lives. But they were doing good enough, for Eren to dare to feel hopeful again. He sought out literally any opportunity to see them, tagging along with Levi on the days he worked at the center, which the brunet had to spend mostly in Krista’s company though, decidedly using the opportunity to ask her a thousand questions, to all of which the stunning blond gave smile-filled answers to. He was curious about how the center came to be, how long it existed, how did Krista end up working with the worlds grumpiest man on such a kind-hearted cause... He was thrilled that instead of Levi's countless _I'll tell you one day's_ Eren actually got to learn more about everything that made the man so great, things that the raven kept to himself, out of modesty or just general annoyance over long explanations. Eren wasn't sure and it didn't really matter. Occasionally when the raven managed to actually take a break at break time, Eren would take a walk through the property with Levi. The paperwork for running such an organization was overwhelming, but Levi’s punctual sensibilities were perfect for the job... Well that, and the enormous love he had for what he did. If everything in his facility checked out, legally and in every other way, nobody could ever come for him or any of the residents. Eren talked to them too, the kids living there or just passing by, the most talkative ones being the few youngsters who had been there the longest, the quintet of 3 boys and 2 girls, who adorably called themselves Levi's squad. The brunet hadn't stopped smiling throughout the entire 20 min that he had their attention. Their carefree excitement was reason enough to fill ones heart with warmth to the brim, but there was another reason Eren had to control himself from letting a tear take a leap from the corner of his eyes. They gave him a glimpse into another side of Levi, the one that was unreservedly gentle when no one was looking, a Levi that made up silly stories and never lost his temper no matter how much of a nuisance, five loudly yelling children had presented, to a man which such a stressful job.

It made a small idea-worm materialize behind jade eyes, one which Eren shared quietly with Erwin one afternoon, and for which he had received the blonds enthusiastic support.

They even went to Eldia with him a few times, Eren being adamant about introducing Erwin to his colleagues, almost all of them being artists, directors or producers, hoping that maybe in the near future the tall man’s talent for writing could be shared more widely than just in a few paragraphs of a monthly column in a magazine.

He was there, around them, all the time like a moon or a satellite. But true to the nature of each one, he stayed in his orbit, close - but away. They kept him at a friendly distance and Eren didn’t dare to cross that limit until either of them were ready to initiate any sort of physical contact. He had chosen to disregard that one time, Levi absentmindedly pulled at his shirt, drawing him closer, while falling asleep on the train back home from one of their trips, and Erwin cheekily pretending to not notice. The grasp was ever so gentle and ever so short, but somehow it managed to make Eren feel like he was stabbed in the chest, before the small hand let go and feel back onto Levi’s lap. 

It was many weeks before Erwin awarded him with a deliberate touch of affection, casually putting his large arm around the brunet’s shoulder, as if it was nothing, as if he didn't know it would make Eren's legs almost give out, while they fought their way through the busy streets of the Sina's Saturday crowd. After that, a whole other month had to pass for Eren to feel Levi’s soft hair against his neck, the raven leaning against him one night while they watched a movie in their living room. Actually, they might've been just channel-skipping,  Eren couldn’t remember and didn’t care too...The moment he heard Levi’s breathe so close to his ear, everything else just blurred out of the picture, in favor of intensifying the memories of every sensations that ran through Eren's body upon feeling Levi's small patch of skin on his, making sure the brunet could remember it in detail. He did. Even now 2 months later, he recalled as clear as day, how he opened his mouth when Levi leaned in, a small choked up sound of surprise escaping him, and how Levi immediately grumbled at him to “Shut up." and to "Not dare say another word. “ 

They graduated to being comfortable in each other’s personal spaces again, and Eren had never savored every smidgen of attention he was given more, than he did now. All these developments however, made him more and more aware of other, even more personal spaces that needed to be tended to, and of which he started to have uncomfortably intense dreams about, in the past week or two. Being drowned completely in his work, thoughts of it rarely even came up during his years away. He... Could’ve...He certainly had more than an offer or two, considering the amount of people he was suddenly in contact with every day, but going from admitting that he found someone else to be attractive, to actually doing something about it, was an act which he could never wrap his mind around. Even before Erwin and Levi, he was never much of a gentlemen’s man, finding solitude way more enjoyable than, indulging into sex that offered nothing but the physical. And well, after them, just imagining another hand touching him, would leave a trail of unpleasant shudders along his entire body. All of this meant, it was long... Way too long since Eren had his feet curling in pleasure, that was provided by someone other than himself. 

 _But that was fine_ , he thought looking at Levi quickly stamping a peck over Erwin’s lips, as he stepped out of the car and took rushing steps towards his office _. I’ll wait, however long it’s needed._ He smiled faintly at Erwin, as he did the same a few blocks later, only without the parting kiss. 

Summer rushed by, and then autumn too, the changing seasons not managing to cause any dents in Eren resolve, and in fact serving only to make it grow stronger and the need for showering them in his own unabashed feelings greater. He was there to be their friend, for Levi whenever he was hit with a hard day at work, for Erwin whenever Levi was being hard to handle, for busy nights at club Titan or quiet evenings on their flippable sofa. He killed the rest of his time with work, and the few other, more personal projects, he was relentlessly laboring for, to make them happen, covering the Eldia-Sina distance at least once a month. 

A single snowflake travelling in unavoidable speed, headed directly towards and into his right eye, surprising him even before he had the time to realize, it was indeed already winter. He cursed at it, in time with rubbing the cold out of his lashes, clutching at a door handle bellow the lilac sign of club Titan that blinked at him as a greeting. 

“Have you been crying? “ A deeply warm voice asked instead of a hello. 

Eren looked at the man confused for a fraction of a second, before realizing the furious rubbing he was still doing, probably made his eyes look weird. 

“No... Uh... It’s started snowing... And I had a close encounter with a certain snowflake... “ The brunet explained, taking of his coat, and tossing it over the wooden bar. 

“Oh... You should’ve told Levi to come in too. “ Erwin spoke with a casual tone, pushing a steaming mug in front of Eren, that smelled like cherry-tea and rum. 

Green eyes squinted, before they widened with realization, as the words clicked inside his brain, and a soft laughter coming from both sides of the bar filled the otherwise silent air. Eren’s face calmed first, and he sneaked a fond gaze towards the face of the man before him. His heart sped up as his lips quivered from the need to kiss him... The dryness of his throat wasn’t anything that could be fixed with the sweet drink he was squeezing between his palms. 

“Eren...” The blond spoke the name a bit too theatrically, and the brunet’s eyes lit up in anticipation. “We’re having a party for Levi’s birthday on Saturday, and I would appreciate your help if you have time in setting this up around here. “ _Oh_ , Eren’s expectations flattened with a sigh. “Of course, you can count on me. Did he consent to any of that? “ He asked through a small smile. 

“Absolutely not. “ Erwin mocked, imitating Levi’s voice and nailing it so much so that Eren had to laugh out loud again. Still after the giggles died down, it was hard to hide the frustration and disappointment on his face. 7 months... 7 months had passed since he came back and every time he walked through this door, or any door that had Erwin or Levi on the other side of it, he hoped for... A surprise... Or something... Anything, that involved their lips touching each other. His breath would hitch just from catching onto their lingering scent whenever they passed him by. He was desperate. 

“Oh... Also... “ Eren watched in slow motion, as the beautiful blond leaned in, sensing the beat of his heart in his neck. The thumping quickly got overpowered by whispery words spoken a hair away from his left ear. 

He went home that night, rubbing at his own arms and palms on the way back, the excitement from what was said making them numb. 

 

*******

 

A surprisingly bright, winter day greeted Eren as he stepped outside, making him temporarily blind, and he squinted his eyes to protect himself before his vision adjusted. Yet his footsteps had not waited and not wavered. He took them big and long, and in less than 10 minutes he was sitting inside the subway line, the one that would lead him out of town and into suburbia. He could hear his own loud breathing, as exhilaration mixed with anxiety in the pot residing inside his belly. It was Friday and it was the day he spent trembling over, ever since he left Erwin in club Titan earlier that week. 

Stepping out of the subway and nearing Erwin's and Levi’s house, the sight of it caused him to trip over nothing, stumbling forward as his blood pressure rose a few units. He was told to show up at 6 p.m. and let himself in through the unlocked door. That was it... Any further questions he tried to mutteringly pry out, were met with a secretive smile and a head shake. Fuck, they sure knew how to completely reduce him to nothing but a drooling animal. He entered the hallway on his toes, barely breathing like he was entering a cave full of hibernating bears. He slowly took of his shoes and hanged his coat, getting instantly warm enough to feel the sweat breaking out on different parts of his body. His sweater came off a second after too, being unable to handle the way it felt like it was choking him, and he dropped it on the floor, not noticing he missed the handle he was supposed to hook it on, before placing a foot into the living room in his black skinny jeans and pale yellow T shirt. Not a single human, not a single sound. Eren had a good idea of where they might be, but he still took a left turn to peak into the kitchen. No one. Part of him seemed to not truly believe that all of this was happening. But there was only one way to be sure, and he shakily breathed in a huge gulp of air, as he braved the opposite part of the house. His feet hesitated at the bedroom door, every sense heightening in an attempt to find any sign of life coming from the other side of it. Silence. _Well...._ He opened the door. 

“Eren!" Green eyes shimmered in the low lighting, wide pupils taking in the image of a man in very soft looking, silken-white pajamas, "So you finally decide to come in... I’m glad, Levi was really starting to have trouble with staying silent. “ The man spoke, comfortably snuggled into a heap of pillows supporting his back, as he lent on the headboard of the bed, notebook and a pencil in hands, the frameless glasses as always, almost sliding down his nose. Eren’s eyes shifted then to the other man in question, his view filling with a scene that made him lightheaded. Levi was kneeling on the edge of the bed with the most wrecked expression Eren had ever seen on him, their gazes meeting for a moment before one of his eyebrows narrowed and raven hairs flew back, Levi loudly moaning  around the ball gag that was filling his mouth. He was completely naked except a pair of white panties, and Eren had to do a double take, before his brain registered that yes those were actually small strawberry prints on his underwear. Eren’s felt his entire body turn into the color of the fruit, his eyes drawn to the twitching muscles of Levi’s thighs. Then a very familiar shiny silver tail, robbed at his attention, moving about on the bed as Levi squirmed against the restraints that kept his arms tied around his back. 

Eren made a quarter of a step, then pulled back, eyes flying frantically between the only two other people in the room. 

A short glance was exchanged between silver and blue,  Levi barely managing to keep his eyes open even for that long, before Erwin spoke up, the polite evenness of his voice making it seem like there was nothing spectacular going on. Like... Like the sexiest man on Earth and beyond it, wasn’t writhing just two steps away from him. 

“You can touch him... If you think you gathered your bearings enough to do so... “ Erwin chuckled. 

Another hesitant step and then another, slightly more sure one... Eren’s feet moved on their own, upon hearing the words, his brain definitely not computing fully yet, welcoming the simple instructions. _Touch. Yes._ God yes he absolutely wanted that. He found himself standing in front of Levi, staring down at him like the man was truly alien, and out of every beautifully exposed piece of flesh, Eren’s palm ended up on Levi’s burning cheekbones. He felt the smaller man wince at the contact, and it made his fingers instinctively draw back, not really wanting too, but afraid he might've overstepped a boundary ,when his elbow hit something behind. Eren was so absorbed in everything that was Levi, that he hadn’t even noticed Erwin getting up from the bed and sneaking up right behind his back. 

“On your knees. Take your shirt off. Be as quick as you can. “ Simple, promising, delicious... Eren melted under the blond man’s deep voice. “Do you remember your safe words? “

 

“Y-yes... Sir. “ He was about to recite the rules, when a strong grasp followed before an intense pull, that had him stumbling back, barely managing to brace himself to lean on his palms.

“Do not hesitate when you speak to me. “ Eren heard as his head was tilted back enough that he could look into the burning red in crystal blue eyes behind him. “Now, one more time, do you remember your safe words?“ Erwin repeated the question. There was no angry expression, or loud intonation, the blond didn’t need that to sound dangerous... Just the eerie calm of his motions and the intense gaze that had the power to nail a man to a wall. 

“Yes sir! ” Eren said without wavering, not a second after. The rest of the words flew out of his mouth, as he managed to successfully get through repeating the verbal, but also the non-verbal signs of their safety, along with their meaning. He was smart enough to assume that his mouth would be occupied, and it seemed like Erwin appreciated his clever thinking. 

“Good boy, Eren... “ The man planted a kiss on a back of long chocolate hairs. “Get to it then.” The soft moment was gone and his head was nudged forward, landing him with his nose an inch away from Levi’s crotch. 

With a gulp, Eren carefully pulled the hem of the panties down, setting Levi’s erection free. He reached back, placing both palms on the small of the man’s back, sliding them down and taking the backside of the cute underwear with him, revealing the most unrealistic ass in the world to the touch of cold air, and to the caress of his own fingers. There was a graze of a warm breath snaking its way across Eren's neck, and the brunet shuddered as every brain cell left his mind. 

“I said get to it. Right now. “ He heard the man behind him speak, and not even a half a second later Eren's mouth obediently found the familiar, the almost forgotten, arousing taste of the wetness of Levi’s cock. 

Erwin studied Levi face, taking in the image of silver eyes disappearing as they rolled back. When they came to again, they looked absolutely destroyed , and the blond didn’t miss how they moved from the boy beneath him to Erwin, a few times, soft whines following after every meeting of their eyes. 

“Oh... “ Erwin smiled widely, speaking to the gagged man. “Is this what you want me to do again? “ Large palm twisted into brown strands and muscles slightly flexed, as they pulled the boy’s head back, a tad more carefully this time, before they pushed Eren back again, the chocking sounds,  followed by a string of grunts, indicating Erwin hit the nail on the head. He repeated the movement, slower and then faster, never taking his eyes off of Levi’s. The next time Eren got dragged back by his hair, Erwin saw the raven squeeze his eyes shut, tightly... Then there was one knock, and then another, the last one barely managing to even create a full sound, before Erwin ripped the gag off of his boyfriend's face. 

“Talk to me love. “ He said, in a soft voice. He could tell from the moment Eren laid his first fingers on Levi’s body, that something was not quite right. Unsurprisingly, he also had a decent idea of what that might be. 

“Cuffs... “ Levi grumbled wriggling his arms, “Take them off. “

The ripping sound of velcro instantly filled the room, and Erwin grinned as he saw Levi straighten up, and step off of the bed, only to fiercely grab Eren by the hair, and push him back against Erwin chest, continuing where they stopped a few moments ago. 

“Better? “ Erwin smiled, running his hand on the thick straining muscles of Levi’s calf.

“Arghh...Yes...” The raven spoke between loud pants, looking down at the ridiculously big green eyes, the tears that filled them, making them luminescent. _This_... Is not how they planned the evening to go. Being in subspace while they played, was something Levi had considered to be his comfort zone, and since the situation of having Eren over _like this_ again, was as emotionally sensitive as it was, he thought being in such mindspace would probably be the best way to go. In all the years that passed, he could never bear the thought of switching for anyone else, and he thought the opportunity to experience that kind of a rush again, was lost forever when Eren didn’t come back. It has been so long and he was sure that neither his mind nor his body were ready to open that box yet. But his instincts had other ideas, at the moment Eren’s hair swayed in front of him, Levi's fingers tensed with the desire to take. So he did. 

“Ok darling, listen to me.” Erwin spoke and Levi paced his movements into a slower rhythm, enabling  Eren to listen more clearly. 

“You are going to let Levi getting himself off using your pretty mouth and after that... You will not swallow. “ The most devilish smile played over the lines of Erwin’s lips. “You will not spit. You will keep it in your mouth, until prompted to do otherwise. Do you understand me?” 

Eren nodded with big eyes, making sure to knock out his confirmation too, as Levi gradually resumed to fuck himself into his mouth. Eren didn’t have to put in a lot of effort to please Levi, his small but incredibly strong fingers adjusting and tilting the brunet's head as he saw fit, Eren only managing to wiggle his tongue a few times, licking at the tasty flesh of Levi’s arousal, and making the smaller man hiss through a string of curses.

With a low grunt, Levi slid himself slowly out, resting the tip of his cock on the soft warmth of the boy's tongue that was sticking out of his open mouth, before he came, sticky liquid, gliding easily over Eren's pink tongue. 

Waiting patiently for the smaller man to ride out his orgasm, Eren took quick breathes through his nose, before closing up his mouth, in an effort to obey the order he was given.

“You’re not done yet. “ Erwin’s voice vibrated deeply in Eren’s chest and he let himself get pulled back a bit, before Erwin moved now to stand in front of him.

The blond watched him with fiery eyes, the smirk only growing wider as he parted Eren’s lips with his own member, forcing the liquid in the boy’s mouth to spill out, and slide down in strings across his chin, spots ending up as bright spotlights on his sun-kissed, tan chest. If Levi had a penchant for drama, Erwin had the kinks for the poetic. Everything about the scene bellow him as well as the noises behind him were exactly that, his long term lover panting from the after effects of his high, the boy they both loved and had suffered for, kneeling in front of them, as they took turns to fill him with the same bitterness he left in their mouths when he left. He grabbed Eren by the hair, grasping strongly like he was punishing it for getting that long without them being present to witness it, as he stumbled over to the wall one feet at the time, together with the boy, not ever abandoning the warmth of Eren’s mouth. He pushed the brunet towards the paint and cement covered bricks, the fist in dark locks making sure Eren’s head was safe from any impact, as he slid himself in to the hilt, once, with a lingering delay, and then a few times more, before coming with a low grumble, not giving Eren any other option but to swallow. He took a few long breathes before he came back to his senses, pulling out and letting the tense grasp on Eren’s head melt into a caress, the hand sliding from Eren’s temple, to his swipe his messed up hair away from his face. 

“Come here brat. “ Levi called from their right. 

Erwin took Eren by the hands and helped him up, as they took a few steps together ending in front of Levi, Eren facing him and Erwin sitting himself behind, sneaking his hands around Eren’s waist and letting them roam across his tight abdomen, as he placed soft kisses over his shoulders and back. 

Levi summoned up a packet of wet wipes, pulling one out and starting to tap it gently over Eren’s face, down his chin and taking a few more to clean his chest. A bottle of water found its way to Eren’s hands and the brunet took the cooling liquid with a welcoming sigh. He took a few big gulps, and as his head tilted to the front again, he got stopped in his tracks by the beautiful sight that was Levi’s stare. 

“I still fucking hate you I hope you know that...“ The raven said forcing an angry tone. He took the bottle away from Eren, putting it down, only to move his palms up immediately to cup the brunet's face. He leaned in, resting his forehead on Eren’s, their warm breathes being the only thing between their lips, as he moved his own a bit closer, to whisper over them. 

“Glad your home brat. “ 

Eren held back a sob, playing it off as a small cough. It earned him the possession of the water bottle again, and he cleared his throat before he took a few sips again. 

“Hey Levi... “ Erwin spoke, chin perched on Eren’s shoulder, “Don’t you think that water bottle is not doing a good enough job in quenching his thirst? “

This time Levi was the one to chuckle. “ I think you’re right. I’m sure you already have a solution for it too. “ 

Erwin just wiggled his eyebrows, standing up, and pulling Eren with him, dragging him forward until he was forced to sit and then lay down onto the bed, Levi climbing over him to finally kiss him on the mouth, then his jaw, and his neck....They made sure Eren was given everything he missed out on, in the past years and everything he wished for in the last seven months. They intended to stamp their feeling onto his body, until it had reached into  Eren's mind, gently or harshly, however Eren wanted them too, as they found themselves whispering praises and panting sweets words till early in the morning. 

 

*******

 

A persistent melody, riding on periodical bad thumping noises, finally managed to force open the swollen eyes of the sleepy brunet. They still managed to stick together somehow , Eren trying to figure out the space and time around him, rubbing at his eyes to free his top lashes from the bottom ones. His phone was ringing. _Shit._ He tried to jump up from the bed, and as he turned to get up, he managed to effectively slam the front of his foot into the back of the man lying next to him, the impact causing him to stumble over the person, and land on the floor on the other side. All of it happened as loudly as humanly possible. What the h... _Oh_. He forgot he wasn’t alone. 

“I already regret having you back. “ Dark hairs emerged from the sheets as Levi shifted in them, covering up the part of his body that Eren managed to kick off the bed cover from. 

“S-sorry... “ The boy muttered, before turning to scramble through his scattered clothes in hopes of retrieving the source of the loud noise. 

“Hello? “ He answered sounding out of breath. A few moments were spent in silence as Eren listened. 

“I see. That’s fantastic! Thank you so much! I’ll get you the details as soon as possible! “ Eren hung up, forgetting to say a proper goodbye to the caller in all his excitement. 

“Hey,” He nudged both men at the same time. “Are you awake? “

A few grunts and soft sounds of shuffling followed, before Levi spoke up again, “Remind me again, why had we decided to keep him? “

A small chuckle came instead of an answer as Erwin groggily propped himself up on his elbows. “What’s up kid? “

Before revealing the news to them Eren couldn’t help but stop and take a few moments to fondly laugh at the scene before him. Erwin’s fringe was on the wrong side. 

“Did you made all this scene just to laugh at us? “ Levi grumbled, him too finally lifting up from the bed,  absentmindedly reaching out to card his fingers through Erwin’s hair as soon as he saw him. All was back to normal now... No, it was even better. 

“The project... “ Eren’s eyes beamed with joy, “It got approved, we’re making a movie! “

“What a pain in the ass... “ Levi complained, falling back onto his pillow. 

“Ah Eren that’s really great! “ Erwin thankfully offered an appropriate response. 

For a long time they plotted this in secret, Erwin and he, making sure all the detail were worked out before presenting the idea to _Mr. “I can’t be bothered”_ all the time. With Erwin’s support, Eren told him how he wanted to tell the story of Humanity's Strongest, imagining it as a small documentary about the owners and everyone whose lives they touched. Before the answer could become an immediate no, the blond jumped in to explain how greatly this could work as a promotion for the center that was always in the need for more funding. They showed him the rough script and made it clear that it was only going to be the three of them, Eren behind the camera, Erwin doing the interviews and Levi would be there just to show them around and answer their questions. After a few more conversations, they got his consent and immediately applied for a grant for their little project. This call was letting Eren know that they got it. 

“Have you ever seen anyone try so hard to get into someone’s pants? “ Levi mocked with a small laugh. He was happy too, directing more attention to children that grow up on the streets, was something he could never really refuse to participate in, and well...if it managed to secure him more money to run his organization then that was a plus. He shall endure the two idiots pestering him for the next few weeks. 

“Goooosh, can you not be absolutely horrible for just a few moments? “ Eren retorted, knowing all too well Levi was joking, even though the thought of it, still made him a bit hurt. “That’s... Not why I did it. “  

“Then... Why did you do it?” Levi made a few cat steps towards the brunet on all fours, over the bed, ending up closely in front of green eyes. His words came out teasing, but his face took on as serious expression as he sat down. “We forgive you... This...would’ve happened sooner or later no matter if you tried to win us back or not. You... You don’t have to concern yourself with impressing us or adding extra baggage to your already busy schedule... You know that don’t you? “Levi talked with fondness smiling at Eren's face in his hands, before turning his head to the blond. 

“Yes...” Erwin confirmed, “I’m afraid you have us by the balls. You always did. “ The tall man chuckled. 

“Has it ever occurred to you that I might be doing all of this because I care for both of you so much? “ Eren spoke with a healthy seasoning of irony in his voice. “You know... No ulterior motives? “ He laughed heartily, understanding perfectly what they were saying, knowing they meant no offence by their words. 

Erwin moved to scoot up next to Levi, grabbing Eren gently by the chin. “We love you too kid. “ He said, nudging the small man beside him with his shoulder. 

Levi raised an eyebrow, looking like he was puzzled by the words that were just said. “I really thought that was clear without saying... “

******

The club was packed, even though it was a closed, members only birthday celebration. It was probably the first time since he got back, that Eren came here to enjoy himself rather than help Erwin out with whatever mundane task running a night club had required. There were many new faces, young and older, and the brunet smiled, his eyes landing on someone he did recognize. 

“This... Is what I am going to tie you to the radiator with...If you ever even think of leaving my boys again. ” A beautiful person with a bouncy ponytail, and equally cheery attitude, made a pair of black metal handcuffs clatter in front of Eren’s eyes. “Not that gentle velcro bullshit that they treat you too, cause both of them suddenly become soft when it comes to your pretty butt. “ Hange cackled, before pulling Eren into a tight hug. 

“You don’t know what you're talking about four-eyes. “ Levi appeared behind them, ripping the cuffs out of Eren’s face. “I might want to keep these for later... “

They found their places at the bar, the raven making them swear they would not force him to dance this time. Erwin made his way behind the counter, deciding to take the initiative to pour some drinks for the three of them, considering Mike had his arms full of cocktail shakers and glasses, making a show out off serving the drinks to their customers. Erwin was fighting his way back through the crowd when he overheard a few lines of a near-by conversation. 

 

_“Who are the two cuties? “_

Erwin smiled, shifting his gaze towards the two men at the bar, Levi covered in pink leather, standing like a pro in dizzyingly high, white heels, and Eren, long hair causally falling over the shoulders of one of his stupid shirts, the choice for tonight being the one that said “Whoever enters tonight, will be _bound_ to never leave. “ They stuck out like a sore thumb. 

He shifted his course a bit, his steps leading him right next to the two people who he had observed that the comments came from. 

“The two odd ones? “ He asked nodding his head towards the two men in question. 

“Yeah... You know them? “ The man closer to Erwin inquired with a wide grin.

“I do. “ The blond answered concisely. “They’re mine. “ He added as he pushed through between them, heading straight to the bar where his boyfriends sat, pecking a soft kiss on the brunet lips first, before turning to Levi, sneaking a hand around his waist as he tilted him forward, melting their lips together in way that made Eren's face burn in an instant. 

“What was that for? “ Levi asked when he was finally allowed to breathe again. 

“Nothing. “ Erwin turned around, grabbing their drinks, as he handed one to Eren, and another one to Levi. He lifted his own into the air before speaking. “I am happy that your back kid. “ He clinked his glass with the brunet, smiling widely, shifting the same affectionate gaze towards the raven a moment after. “Happy birthday love.” 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the art painted a picture (*´艸`*)  
> I just wanted to add one more thing. I was a bit nervous in naming my fic |The Odd ones|, cause it would've not been clear what I meant with that till he very end of the story. So I just want to make sure it's clear, that they are not "odd" because of, whatever they decided they love to do in bed, but rather because each of their individual personalities are "odd" and it makes it so that they constantly crash with each other. Anyway that's it, I love you all <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> If you have a little time I would love to hear some feedback about how I'm doing so far?  
> You can leave kudos if you liked it (it's like giving me a pat on the back ❁)
> 
> Send me ideas, requests, or just talk to me at [My tumblr ](https://aanerd.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Hope you continue to enjoy the fic ^^


End file.
